Torah Ohr · Parshas Bereishis · Maamar 4

להבין הטעם שנשתנה יצירת גוף האדם משאר כל…

To understand the reason why the formation of man's body differs…

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The big idea

Plants and animals came forth whole, body and soul together, because their levels are adjacent; man's body was first made as lifeless dust because only the highest soul, rooted in supernal Chochmah, can descend into the lowest, inanimate body — and from there raise all of creation.

The maamar in brief

The maamar asks why man's body was formed first as lifeless dust, while plants and animals emerged from the earth complete with their life. The four classes of creation — inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking — correspond to the four letters of the Name Havayah. The vegetative and the animal are adjacent levels, so an animal's body and soul could come into being together; the speaking soul is far removed from the vegetative, and could be joined only to the inanimate. This serves man's purpose: like a jack lifting a wall from its lowest beam, the soul enters the lowest matter in order to raise the sparks in all creation. The same pattern appears in the soul (letters, emotions, intellect) and in the Sefiros: the emotions grow from Binah by cause and effect, but Malchus, the "letters," comes directly from Chochmah — "With Chochmah He founded the earth." Angels, whose bodies and souls are close, cannot transform a physical body; the souls of Israel, from the inner dimension, can. Adam's soul is from supernal Chochmah, the Name Av, and the two Names "Havayah Elokim" join Chochmah with Malchus.

Outline

The question: why man's body was made differentlyPlants and animals came forth whole by G‑d's word; man's body was first lifeless dust. The four levels of creation correspond to the letters of Havayah; vegetative and animal are adjacent and could emerge together, but the speaking is too far from the vegetative.¶1–6
Why the body is inanimate: raising all of creationMan is the purpose of creation, elevating the sparks in the lower realms; like lifting a wall from its lowest beam, the soul enters the lowest matter. The Yud connects with the final Hei, for the beginning is wedged in the end.¶7–9
"With Chochmah He founded the earth" and the two NamesThe earth (inanimate) is founded with Chochmah and the heavens (vegetative) with Tevunah; hence Adam, whose soul is from supernal Chochmah, began as a golem, and his formation required two Names.¶10–12
The four levels in the soul and in the SefirosIn the soul, letters are inanimate, emotions vegetative, intellect living; above, Malchus, Z'eir Anpin and Imma. Emotions gestate and nurse from the intellect, but letters bear no relation to it; only the highest can descend to the lowest.¶13–17
Angels and souls: the purpose of self-nullificationAngels have more spiritual bodies of fire and air. The purpose of creation is the nullification of 'something' to 'nothing,' the union of lights and vessels in Tikkun. Only souls from the inner dimension of the vessels can transform a physical body; angels' bodies and souls came forth together from Malchus of Atzilus.¶18–23
Malchus and the letters come from a higher sourceFrom Chochmah down to the emotions is a chain of cause and effect, but the letters come from the soul's essence and can express opposite ideas. So Malchus is founded directly by Chochmah ("Abba founded the daughter"); two levels of Chochmah and two kinds of 'Adam' are distinguished.¶24–29
Adam as supernal Chochmah; the pattern in every realmAdam is supernal Chochmah, the Name Av, and so his body was inanimate; the two Names join Chochmah with Malchus. Above and below alike, adjacent levels arise together, while the highest soul enters the lowest body afterward.¶30–32

Key concepts

Inanimate, vegetative, animal, speakingדומם צומח חי מדבר: The four classes of creation, corresponding to the four letters of Havayah, which the maamar finds also in the soul (letters, emotions, intellect) and in the Sefiros (Malchus, Z'eir Anpin, Binah, Chochmah).
Chain of cause and effectהשתלשלות עילה ועלול: The gradual descent in which each level flows from the one above it, as the emotions flow from the intellect; Malchus and the letters do not arise this way.
Their beginning is wedged in their endנעוץ תחלתן בסופן: From Sefer Yetzirah: the highest level connects directly with the lowest, which is why Chochmah founds the 'earth' and the highest soul enters the lowest body.
Nullification of the 'something'ביטול היש: The purpose of the descent of the worlds: that created existence be nullified before G‑d, as lights and vessels unite in the World of Tikkun.
Outer and inner dimension of the vesselsחיצוניות ופנימיות הכלים: Angels' souls come from the outer dimension and cannot transform a physical body; the G-dly soul comes from the inner dimension and can.
Two kinds of Adamשם מ״ה ושם ע״ב: 'Adam' as Tiferes, the Name Mah of Z'eir Anpin, and Adam the first man as supernal Chochmah, the Name Av.

Skip to the text

The question: why man's body was made differently ¶1–6

1להבין הטעם שנשתנה יצירת גוף האדם1 משאר כל הנבראים כמו הצומח והחי שכולם נברא גופם ע״י מאמר2 ה׳

To understand the reason why the formation of man's body differs from all the other creatures, such as the vegetative and the animal, whose bodies were all created through G‑d's utterance,

Explanation

The maamar opens with its question: why was man's body made differently from every other creature? Plants and animals came into being directly through G‑d's spoken word (His "utterance"), body and life together.

כמ״ש ביום ג׳ תדשא הארץ דשא עשב מזריע כו׳ עץ עושה פרי כו׳ ויהי כן3 וכן ביום חמישי ישרצו המים שרץ נפש חיה4 כו׳.

as it is written of the third day, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, herbs yielding seed…, fruit trees yielding fruit…, and it was so"; and likewise on the fifth day, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures…."

Explanation

The proof-texts: on the third day G‑d said "Let the earth sprout vegetation" (Genesis 1:11), and on the fifth "Let the waters swarm" (Genesis 1:20). In each case the living thing arises complete from its element at G‑d's command.

Paragraph 1 in brief

The maamar poses its question: plants and animals came into being complete through G‑d's word, while man's body was made in a different way.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
להבין הטעם שנשתנה יצירת גוף האדם
How it connects
Another transcript of this same discourse, printed from a copyist's manuscript proofread in the Tzemach Tzedek's handwriting; according to the note it explains these matters at length.our note
Where the note points
Maamarei Admur HaZaken — Parshiyos HaTorahמאמרי אדמו״ר הזקן — פרשיות התורה
p. 15, beginning "Vayitzer Havayah Elokim"
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Source notes and comments of the Rebbe (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson)ציונים והערות לכ״ק אדמו״ר
above, in the Rebbe's notes to this maamar
Our explanationThe note refers the reader to the Rebbe's own source notes on this maamar, printed earlier in the Kehot edition.
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Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Bereshit, vol. 6, p. 1051a
Our explanationThe maamar is reproduced there together with the Tzemach Tzedek's glosses.
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Likkutei Torah L'Gimmel Parshiyos (Likkutei Torah on three Torah portions)לקוטי תורה לג׳ פרשיות
23d
Our explanationThe version of the maamar with glosses in Or HaTorah is taken from this collection.
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Sefer HaMaamarim 5633, by the Rebbe Maharashספר המאמרים תרל״ג
p. 271
Our explanationPart of this maamar is found there, in a later discourse that draws on it.
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Sefer HaMaamarim 5653, by the Rebbe Rashabספר המאמרים תרנ״ג
discourse "Kol shemaasav merubim", p. 220 ff.
Our explanationA later discourse that takes up the themes of this maamar.
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Sefer HaMaamarim 5654, by the Rebbe Rashabספר המאמרים תרנ״ד
p. 256 ff.
Our explanationA later discourse that develops this maamar; the Kehot notes quote from it below on the four letters of Havayah and the four kinds of creation.
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Kuntres U'Mayan, by the Rebbe Rashabקונטרס ומעין
maamar 15
Our explanationA discourse in this series that deals with the same subject.
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Hemshech 5666, by the Rebbe Rashabהמשך תרס״ו
discourse "Vayigash elav Yehudah" 5668, p. 494
Our explanationA later discourse that restates this maamar with additions; the Kehot notes quote several of its additions below.
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Manuscript in the handwriting of the Tzemach Tzedekגוף כתב יד קדשו של כ״ק הצמח צדק
from the years 5571–5572
Our explanationThe maamar is preserved in the Tzemach Tzedek's own handwriting from those years.
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Torah Ohrתורה אור
below, 44a (Vayigash)
כמ״ש מרע״ה ונחנו מ״ה. ומשם נמשך ומתלבש בחי׳ הבטול בארץ ומצד זה תתעלה לע״ל להיות עט״ב לכן היה בהמ״ק מאבנים דוקא (וכמ״ש ג״כ במ״א ע״פ מזמור שיר חנוכת הבית דלכך אמרו בגמרא על כורש שהחמיץ במה שחזר וצוה לערב בחי׳ צומח בבהמ״ק נדבכין די אבן גלל תלתא ונדבך די אע חדת כו׳ כי צ״ל כולו באבנים דוקא מטעם הנ״ל. ובתפלה הוא בחי׳ השתחואות שבשמ״ע קול דממה דקה. בחי׳ דומם ואותיות התפלה הם בחינת דומם) משא״כ בהמשכן שנעשה כפי סדר ההשתלשלות דעכשיו שבחי׳ צומח למעלה מהדומם שמים קדמו כו׳ לכן היו הכותלי׳ מעצי שטים והעפר היה בקרקע המשכן וכנ״ל: והנה זהו ג״כ ענין יוסף ויהודה. שהוא ג״כ בחי׳ ומדרגת שמים וארץ ובחי׳ צומח ודומם כו׳. כי יוסף לשון תוספת ורבוי שמתוסף והולך בהגדלה והגבהה למעלה והוא ענין בחי׳ צומח ובפרט בחי׳ …
Our explanationThis maamar is mentioned there. That passage explains that the Holy Temple was built specifically of stone (the inanimate) while the Tabernacle's walls were of wood (the vegetative), and relates Yosef and Yehudah to heaven and earth, the vegetative and the inanimate.
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Likkutei Torahלקוטי תורה
Re'eh 31a
הוא בתבונה וכמ״ש זה ג״כ ע״פ מאמר הזח״ג בפ׳ אמור (דף ק׳) ע״פ וגם אמנה כו׳ ובפ׳ וירא וע׳ בד״ה להבין הטעם שנשתנה יצירת האדם כו׳ ע״ש והנה מבואר במ״א בפי׳ בונה ירושלשים הוי׳ שהוא בנין ע״ס דמל׳ ממלכיות שבע״ס דז״א כו׳ אך כח
Our explanationThat passage, discussing what is established "with Tevunah," refers the reader to this maamar ("to understand the reason the formation of man differs").
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Biurei HaZohar, by the Tzemach Tzedekביאורי הזהר
vol. 1, p. 423
Our explanationA parallel discussion in the Tzemach Tzedek's commentary on the Zohar, to which the note points.
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The Rebbe Rashab’s maamar “כל שמעשיו מרובים” (5653)ד״ה כל שמעשיו מרובים תרנ״ג
A maamar of the Rebbe Rashab, 5653
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The Rebbe Rashab’s maamar “ויגש אליו יהודה” (5668)ד״ה ויגש אליו יהודה תרס״ח
A maamar of the Rebbe Rashab, 5668
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Likkutei Torah, Re’eh, maamar 8לקו״ת ראה לא, א
page 31a, ¶20
ע״י העבודה עכשיו להיות למודי הוי׳ בבחינת בניך ובוניך ובצדקה תכונני וע׳ מ״ש בד״ה שובה ישראל בענין מ״ש יעקב אם יהיה אלקים עמדי כו׳ והיה כו׳ ע״ש:
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Kehot’s note
הנחה אחרת בס׳ מאמרי אדה״ז פרשיות ע׳ טו. בהתחלה: וייצר ה׳ אלקים [נדפס מכת״י מעתיק מוגה בגוכתי״ק כ״ק הצ״צ] מבאר הענינים בארוכה.
ראה לעיל בציונים והערות לכ״ק אדמו״ר זי״ע.
המאמר עם הגהות באוה״ת בראשית כרך ו תתרנא, א (מלקו״ת לג״פ כג, ד). חלק מהמאמר נמצא גם בסה״מ תרל״ג ע׳ רעא. בד״ה כל שמעשיו מרובים תרנ״ג ע׳ רכ ואילך. בסה״מ תרנ״ד ע׳ רנו ואילך. קונטרס ומעין מאמר טו. ראה ד״ה ויגש אליו יהודה תרס״ח (בהמשך תרס״ו ע׳ תצד).
המאמר נמצא בגוכתי״ק כ״ק הצ״צ משנת תקע״א-ב.
ד״ה זה נזכר לקמן מד, א. לקו״ת ראה לא, א. ביאוה״ז להצ״צ כרך א ע׳ תכג.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
הצומח — ע״י מאמר ה׳
How it connects
There the Rebbe Rashab adds here: "and therefore their body and soul were created as one."our note
Where the note points
Hemshech 5666, by the Rebbe Rashabהמשך תרס״ו
discourse "Vayigash elav Yehudah" 5668
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Kehot’s note
בתרס״ו שם נוסף: ”ולכן נברא גופם ונפשם כא׳”.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
3
On the words
תדשא הארץ דשא . . עץ עושה פרי . . ויהי כן
How it connects
The command on the third day by which the earth brought forth grasses and fruit trees. The Alter Rebbe cites it to show that plants arose, fully formed, by G‑d's word.our note
The source
Genesis 1:11בראשית א׳:י״אSefaria (opens in a new tab)
10וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹקִים לַיַּבָּשָׁה אֶרֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵה הַמַּיִם קָרָא יַמִּים וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים כִּי־טוֹב: 11וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע עֵץ פְּרִי עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי לְמִינוֹ אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ עַל־הָאָרֶץ וַיְהִי־כֵן: 12וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע לְמִינֵהוּ וְעֵץ עֹשֶׂה־פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים כִּי־טוֹב:
10… the gathering together of the waters called He Seas; and God saw that it was good. 11And God said: ‘Let the earth put forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit-tree bearing fruit after its kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth.’ And it was so. 12And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree bearing fruit, …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Where the note points
Sefer HaMaamarim 5700, by the Previous Rebbe (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn)ספר המאמרים ת״ש
p. 61, with the Rebbe's footnote
Our explanationThe verses are cited there in the same order (Genesis 1:11, 1:24, 1:20), and the Rebbe notes that the order may have been changed to place the acts of the "earth" next to each other.
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Kehot’s note
בראשית א, יא. א, כד. א, כ. — בסדר זה הובא גם בספר המאמרים ת״ש ע׳ 61, ומציין ע״ז כ״ק אדמו״ר זי״ע שם בהערה וי״ל דשינה סדר הפסוקים, כדי לסמוך מעשה ארץ זל״ז עכ״ל.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
4
On the words
ישרצו המים שרץ נפש חיה
How it connects
The command on the fifth day by which the waters brought forth fish and other living creatures. It shows that animal life, too, arose complete from its element at G‑d's word.our note
The source
Genesis 1:20בראשית א׳:כ׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
19וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם רְבִיעִי: 20וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל־הָאָרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם: 21וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹקִים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִם הַגְּדֹלִים וְאֵת כׇּל־נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לְמִינֵהֶם וְאֵת כׇּל־עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ …
19And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. 20And God said: ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.’ 21And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that creepeth, wherewith the waters swarmed, …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.

2וכן בכולם הרי שהארץ הוציאה את העשבים ואת האילנות כאו״א כמו שהוא אח״כ עם הנפש הצומחת שבו

And so with all of them: the earth brought forth the grasses and the trees, each one just as it is afterward, with the vegetative soul within it.

Explanation

Each plant came out of the ground already in its final form, together with its "vegetative soul" — the life-force that makes it grow.

וכן גם הבע״ח הוציאה הארץ ג״כ כמו שהן חיים את הדוב ואת הארי כו׳ וגם המים שרצו כן שרץ נפש חיה1 הם הם הדגים ג״כ

And likewise the earth also brought forth the animals just as they are, alive — the bear and the lion, etc.; and the waters too swarmed in this way with "swarms of living creatures," which are the fish, likewise

Explanation

The same holds for land animals and for fish: the earth and the waters produced them already alive, as the finished creatures we know.

כמו שהן דהיינו הגוף עם הנפש החיונית שבתוכו יחד ע״י מאמר ה׳ שאמר תוצא הארץ2 כו׳

as they are, that is, the body together with the vital soul within it, through the utterance of G‑d, who said, "Let the earth bring forth…,"

Explanation

"As they are" means body and animating soul together, produced by a single divine utterance, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures" (Genesis 1:24).

ישרצו המים כו׳ והוא צוה ונבראו3 כמו שהן עתה וכמארז״ל בקומתן נבראו.4 משא״כ בבריאת האדם שנעשה גופו תחלה בפ״ע עפר בלי שום נפש חיונית בתוכו.

"Let the waters swarm…." He commanded and they were created as they are now, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "They were created in their full stature." This is not so in the creation of man, whose body was first made by itself, of dust, without any vital soul within it.

Explanation

The Sages teach that all the works of creation were made "in their full stature," fully formed. Man is the exception: his body was made first, on its own, as lifeless dust.

Paragraph 2 in brief

Plants and animals emerged complete, body and life together, from a single utterance; only man's body was first made separately, without a soul.

Marei mekomos

1
How it connects
The waters brought forth swarms of living creatures, the fish, likewise complete with their life.our note
The source
Genesis 1:20בראשית א׳:כ׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
19וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם רְבִיעִי: 20וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל־הָאָרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם: 21וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹקִים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִם הַגְּדֹלִים וְאֵת כׇּל־נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לְמִינֵהֶם וְאֵת כׇּל־עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ …
19And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. 20And God said: ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.’ 21And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that creepeth, wherewith the waters swarmed, …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
2
On the words
תוצא הארץ
How it connects
"Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind." The land animals came forth from the earth alive, body and soul at once.our note
The source
Genesis 1:24בראשית א׳:כ״דSefaria (opens in a new tab)
23וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי: 24וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ בְּהֵמָה וָרֶמֶשׂ וְחַיְתוֹ־אֶרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וַיְהִי־כֵן: 25וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה לְמִינָהּ וְאֵת כׇּל־רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים כִּי־טוֹב:
23And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. 24And God said: ‘Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind.’ And it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth after its kind, and the cattle after their …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
3
On the words
והוא צוה ונבראו
How it connects
"For He commanded and they were created." The phrase is borrowed to stress that the creatures came into being at once, just as they are, through G‑d's command.our note
The source
Psalms 148:5תהילים קמ״ח:ה׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
4הַלְלוּהוּ שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם וְהַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל הַשָּׁמָיִם: 5יְהַלְלוּ אֶת־שֵׁם ה׳ כִּי הוּא צִוָּה וְנִבְרָאוּ: 6וַיַּעֲמִידֵם לָעַד לְעוֹלָם חׇק־נָתַן וְלֹא יַעֲבוֹר:
4Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, And ye waters that are above the heavens. 5Let them praise the name of the LORD; For He commanded, and they were created. 6He hath also established them for ever and ever; He hath made a decree which shall …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
4
On the words
וכמארז״ל בקומתן נבראו
How it connects
The Talmud states that all the works of creation were created in their full stature. The Alter Rebbe uses this to show that plants and animals came into being in their final form.our note
The source
Rosh Hashanah 11aראש השנה י״א אSefaria (opens in a new tab)
Chullin 60a:9–10חולין ס׳ א:ט׳-י׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
מסייע ליה לר' יהושע בן לוי דאמר ריב"ל כל מעשה בראשית בקומתן נבראו בדעתן נבראו בצביונם נבראו שנאמר (בראשית ב, א) ויכולו השמים והארץ וכל צבאם אל תקרי צבאם אלא צביונם דרש רבי חנינא בר פפא (תהלים קד, לא) יהי כבוד ה' לעולם ישמח ה' במעשיו פסוק זה שר העולם אמרו בשעה שאמר הקב"ה (בראשית א, יב) למינהו באילנות נשאו דשאים קל וחומר בעצמן
Hebrew: Wikisource Talmud Bavli (CC-BY-SA) · via Sefaria
Where the note points
Hemshech 5666, by the Rebbe Rashabהמשך תרס״ו
p. 495
Our explanationThere the Rebbe Rashab adds the reason: since everything was created by an utterance, each creature came into being from the utterance exactly in the manner the command specified.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
ראה ר״ה יא, א. חולין ס, א. בתרס״ו שם ע׳ תצה מוסיף ”מפני שהכל נברא במאמר וכפי שבא הציווי בהמאמר באופן בריאת הנברא כן נתהווה מהמאמר כו׳”.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

3וכמ״ש וייצר ה׳ אלקים את האדם1 עפר מן האדמה וכמארז״ל שעה ראשונה צבר עפרו2 כו׳ ומתחלה היה גולם

As it is written, "And Havayah Elokim formed the man of dust from the ground"; and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "In the first hour his dust was gathered…"; and at first he was an unformed mass (golem),

Explanation

The verse says man was formed "of dust from the ground" (Genesis 2:7), and the Talmud describes Adam's creation hour by hour: in the first hour his dust was gathered, and only afterward was it shaped. Before receiving life he was a golem, a shaped but lifeless mass.

כמ״ש גלמי ראו עיניך3 עד שאח״כ ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים הרי שלא יצא גופו מן הארץ על דרך שהוא עתה בהיות בו נפש החיונית והמדברת אלא שלקח עפר ועשה ממנו גוף.

as it is written, "Your eyes saw my unformed mass," until afterward "He blew into his nostrils the breath of life." Thus his body did not come forth from the earth in the way it is now, with the vital and speaking soul within it; rather, He took dust and made a body of it.

Explanation

Psalm 139:16, "Your eyes saw my unformed mass," is read as referring to that lifeless stage. Only afterward did G‑d breathe life into him, so man's body did not arise alive from the earth as the animals did; it was made from dust as a separate step.

Paragraph 3 in brief

Scripture and the Sages show that Adam's body was first gathered and shaped from dust as a lifeless form, and only afterward given a soul.

Deeper

The Rebbe Rashab (Hemshech 5666, quoted in the Kehot notes) adds here the Midrash that Adam as a golem lay "from one end of the world to the other" (Bereshit Rabbah 8:1).

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
וייצר ה׳ אלקים את האדם
How it connects
"And G‑d formed man of dust from the ground, and blew into his nostrils the breath of life." The verse separates the forming of the body from the giving of the soul.our note
The source
Genesis 2:7בראשית ב׳:ז׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
6וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן־הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת־כׇּל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה: 7וַיִּיצֶר ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה: 8וַיִּטַּע ה׳ אֱלֹקִים גַּן־בְּעֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם וַיָּשֶׂם שָׁם אֶת־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר יָצָר:
6but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8And the LORD God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there He put the man …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
בראשית ב, ז.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
שעה ראשונה צבר עפרו
How it connects
The Talmud lists the hours of Adam's first day: in the first his dust was gathered, in the second he was made a golem, and so on. It shows that his body existed for a time without a soul.our note
The source
Sanhedrin 38b:2סנהדרין ל״ח ב:ב׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בַּר חֲנִינָא: שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁעוֹת הָוֵי הַיּוֹם. שָׁעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה – הוּצְבַּר עֲפָרוֹ, שְׁנִיָּה – נַעֲשָׂה גּוֹלֶם, שְׁלִישִׁית – נִמְתְּחוּ אֵבָרָיו, רְבִיעִית – נִזְרְקָה בּוֹ נְשָׁמָה, חֲמִישִׁית – עָמַד עַל רַגְלָיו, שִׁשִּׁית – קָרָא שֵׁמוֹת, שְׁבִיעִית – נִזְדַּוְּוגָה לוֹ חַוָּה, שְׁמִינִית – עָלוּ לַמִּטָּה שְׁנַיִם וְיָרְדוּ אַרְבָּעָה, תְּשִׁיעִית – נִצְטַוָּוה שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכוֹל מִן הָאִילָן, עֲשִׂירִית – סָרַח, אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה – נִידּוֹן, שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה – נִטְרַד וְהָלַךְ לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל יָלִין״.
Hebrew: William Davidson, Vocalized Aramaic (CC-BY-NC) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
סנהדרין לח, ב.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
3
On the words
גלמי ראו עיניך
How it connects
"Your eyes saw my unformed mass." The Alter Rebbe reads it as describing Adam's lifeless, unformed stage before the soul entered.our note
The source
Psalms 139:16תהילים קל״ט:ט״זSefaria (opens in a new tab)
15לֹא־נִכְחַד עׇצְמִי מִמֶּךָּ אֲשֶׁר־עֻשֵּׂיתִי בַסֵּתֶר רֻקַּמְתִּי בְּתַחְתִּיּוֹת אָרֶץ: 16גׇּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וְעַל־סִפְרְךָ כֻּלָּם יִכָּתֵבוּ יָמִים יֻצָּרוּ וְלוֹ אֶחָד בָּהֶם: 17וְלִי מַה־יָּקְרוּ רֵעֶיךָ אֵל מֶה עָצְמוּ רָאשֵׁיהֶם:
15… When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance, And in Thy book they were all written— Even the days that were fashioned, When as yet there was none of them. 17How weighty also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Where the note points
Hemshech 5666, by the Rebbe Rashabהמשך תרס״ו
p. 495
Our explanationThere the Rebbe Rashab adds: "Adam lay as a golem from one end of the world to the other."
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kuntres U'Mayan, by the Rebbe Rashabקונטרס ומעין
maamar 15, ch. 1
Our explanationA parallel treatment of Adam's creation as a golem, to which the note refers.
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Kehot’s note
תהלים קלט, טז. בתרס״ו שם ע׳ תצה מוסיף ”גולם הי׳ מוטל אדה״ר מסוף העולם ועד סופו כו׳”. וראה בקונטרס ומעיין מאמר טו פרק א.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

4ואח״כ נפח נשמה באפו כו׳. וזהו בחי׳ שפלות לגבי האדם שהרי הגוף שלו נמוך במדרגה1 יותר מגופות הבע״ח שנתהווה בבחינת דומם עד שאח״כ ויפח באפיו2 כו׳.3

And afterward He blew a soul into his nostrils, etc. And this is a mark of lowliness with respect to man, for his body is lower in level than the bodies of the animals, since it came into being on the level of the inanimate, until afterward "He blew into his nostrils…."

Explanation

Being made first as lifeless dust is a mark of lowliness: in its origin man's body stands lower than an animal's, since it began at the level of the inanimate (domem), like earth or stone.

עם היותו מובחר בנבראים4 וז״ש אחור וקדם5 כו׳. אך להבין זה על מה ולמה נהייתה כן.

[This,] although he is the choicest of the creatures. And this is what is written, "Behind and before…." But we must understand this: why and for what reason did it come to be so?

Explanation

Yet man is the choicest of creatures. Both sides are hinted at in "Behind and before You formed me" (Psalms 139:5): in body he is last and lowest, in soul first and highest. The question now is why G‑d made him this way.

הענין הוא כי הנה ד׳ בחי׳ דצח״ם6 הם כנגד ד׳ אותיות דשם הוי״ה. הדומם הוא כמו עפר ואבנים ומתכות שאין לו גידול והצומח הם אילנות ועשבים7 כו׳

The explanation is that the four levels — inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking — correspond to the four letters of the Name Havayah. The inanimate is such as dust, stones and metals, which have no growth; the vegetative are trees and grasses, etc.;

Explanation

The answer begins with the four classes of creation — inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking (human) — which correspond to the four letters of the Name Havayah (Yud, Hei, Vav, Hei). Inanimate things such as dust, stone and metal do not grow; plants do.

ובע״ח יש להם כ״ז ונוסף ע״ז נפש החי׳ הרוחני׳.8 ובמדבר נוסף עוד על כולם נפש השכלית נפש המדברת כו׳.9

animals have all this, and in addition to it the spiritual animal soul. And in the speaking [being] there is added, beyond all of them, the intellectual soul, the speaking soul, etc.

Explanation

Animals have growth and, beyond it, a spiritual animating soul. The human, the "speaking" being, adds an intellectual soul, which expresses itself in speech.

Paragraph 4 in brief

The paragraph states the paradox — man's body begins lower than an animal's though man is the highest creature — and starts the answer by relating the four classes of creation to the four letters of Havayah.

Deeper

Tanya ch. 38 likewise relates inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking to the four letters of Havayah. Sefer HaMaamarim 5654 (quoted in the Kehot notes) specifies that the inanimate corresponds to the final Hei, like the letters, which do not grow; the vegetative to the Vav, like the emotions, which grow from small to great; and the animal to the first Hei, Binah, of which it is said "the mother of all life."

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
שהרי הגוף שלו נמוך במדרגה
How it connects
There the Rebbe Rashab notes that although Torah Ohr explains that man's body is lower than the animals' (vegetative) bodies, since it is inanimate, still, as regards the soul, the speaking soul is far higher than the animal and vegetative souls.our note
Where the note points
Sefer HaMaamarim 5660, by the Rebbe Rashabספר המאמרים תר״ס
discourse "Samchuni", p. 84
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
The Rebbe Rashab’s maamar “סמכוני” (5660)ד״ה סמכוני תר״ס
A maamar of the Rebbe Rashab, 5660
Find it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
בד״ה סמכוני תר״ס ע׳ פד ”הגם שבתו״א מבואר שגוף האדם למטה במדרי׳ מגופי הבע״ח שהן מבחי׳ צומח וגוף האדם הוא דומם כו׳ מ״מ הרי מצד הנפש הרי הנפש המדברת הוא גבוה הרבה מנפש החי ונפש הצומחת כו׳” ע״ש.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
How it connects
Man's body was lifeless until G‑d breathed the soul into it; this is the "lowliness" of his bodily origin.our note
The source
Genesis 2:7בראשית ב׳:ז׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
6וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן־הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת־כׇּל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה: 7וַיִּיצֶר ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה: 8וַיִּטַּע ה׳ אֱלֹקִים גַּן־בְּעֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם וַיָּשֶׂם שָׁם אֶת־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר יָצָר:
6but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8And the LORD God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there He put the man …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
3
On the words
בבחינת — עד שאח״כ ויפח באפיו כו׳
How it connects
There the Rebbe Rashab adds that man's body was not created by an utterance as other creatures were: "Let us make man" is not a command like "Let there be light" but a description of how man would come to be.our note
The source
Genesis 2:4בראשית ב׳:ד׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
3וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת מִכׇּל־מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים לַעֲשׂוֹת: 4אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם: 5וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ וְכׇל־עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמָח כִּי לֹא הִמְטִיר ה׳ אֱלֹקִים עַל־הָאָרֶץ …
3… because that in it He rested from all His work which God in creating had made. 4These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven. 5No shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Where the note points
Hemshech 5666, by the Rebbe Rashabהמשך תרס״ו
discourse "Vayigash elav Yehudah" 5668
Our explanationSince the animals' bodies were created together with their souls, they must be comparable to them; man's body, made of dust, is inanimate.
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Maamarei Admur HaZaken — Parshiyos HaTorahמאמרי אדמו״ר הזקן — פרשיות התורה
p. 16
Our explanationThe parallel passage in the other transcript of this discourse.
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Etz Chaimעץ חיים
by Rabbi Chaim Vital, from the Arizal
The central work of the Arizal’s Kabbalah, in gates (she’arim).
Kehot’s note
בראשית ב, ד. בתרס״ו שם מוסיף ”הרי שגופו לא נברא במאמר כמו גופות שארי הנבראים, ומ״ש נעשה אדם הרי לא נאמר יהי׳ אדם כמו יהי אור יהי רקיע או כמו תוצא הארץ כו׳, כ״א הוא כמו סיפור דברים שיהי׳ התהוות האדם באופן כך וכך כו׳ ונברא גופו עפר מן האדמה ולא הי׳ בו נפש החיונית כ״א נעשה מן העפר והי׳ גולם בלי שום חיות ואח״כ ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים כו׳ שזהו בחי׳ שפלות אל האדם לגבי שארי בע״ח, ומובן מזה שגופו הוא למטה במדריגה מגופות הבע״ח, דהרי גוף האדם הוא בבחי׳ דומם שהרי נעשה מעפר כנ״ל וגופי הבע״ח מאחר שנבראו יחד עם נפשם צ״ל שהם בערך זל״ז דאל״כ איך יתהווה יחד”. וראה שם בארוכה. ראה במאמרי אדה״ז פרשיות ע׳ טז.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
4
On the words
מובחר בנבראים
How it connects
A variant reading: "הנבראים" in place of "בנבראים," i.e., "the choicest of the creatures"; the sense is unchanged.our note
Where the note points
Glosses of Rabbi Asherהגהות ר׳ אשר
on this line
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Kehot’s note
בהגהת ר׳ אשר: הנבראים.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
5
On the words
אחור וקדם
How it connects
"Behind and before You formed me." The Alter Rebbe reads it as man being both last and first among the creatures.our note
The source
Psalms 139:5תהילים קל״ט:ה׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
4כִּי אֵין מִלָּה בִּלְשׁוֹנִי הֵן ה׳ יָדַעְתָּ כֻלָּהּ: 5אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה: 6פְּלִיאָה דַעַת מִמֶּנִּי נִשְׂגְּבָה לֹא־אוּכַל לָהּ:
4For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether. 5Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before, And laid Thy hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; Too high, I cannot attain unto it.
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Bereshit Rabbah 8:1בראשית רבה ח׳:א׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
ויאמר אלקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו. רבי יוחנן פתח: (תהלים קלט): אחור וקדם צרתני וגו' אמר רבי יוחנן: אם זכה אדם, אוכל שני עולמות, שנאמר: אחור וקדם צרתני, ואם לאו הוא בא ליתן דין וחשבון, שנאמר (שם): ותשת עלי כפכה. אמר רבי ירמיה בן אלעזר: בשעה שברא הקדוש ברוך הוא את אדם הראשון, אנדרוגינוס בראו, הדא הוא דכתיב: זכר ונקבה בראם. אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמן: בשעה שברא הקב"ה את אדם הראשון, דיו פרצופים בראו ונסרו ועשאו גביים, גב לכאן וגב לכאן. איתיבון ליה, והכתיב: ויקח אחת מצלעותיו?! אמר להון: מתרין סטרוהי, היך מה דאת אמר: (שמות כו): ולצלע המשכן, דמתרגמינן ולסטר משכנא וגו'. רבי תנחומא בשם רבי בנייה ורבי ברכיה בשם ר"א אמר: בשעה …
“And God said: Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness, and let them dominate over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the animals, and over all the earth, and over every crawling creature that crawls upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26). “And God said: Let us make Man in our image, in our likeness.” Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “Back and front [aḥor vakedem], You shaped me…” (Psalms 139:5) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: If a person merits, he partakes of two worlds, as it is stated: “Back and front, You shaped me.” can be translated “the end, and that which precedes it,” – an allusion to this world and the World to Come. But if not, he will come to give an accounting, as it is …
Hebrew: Daat Bereshit Rabbah (Public Domain) · English: The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah, 2022 (CC-BY) · via Sefaria
Where the note points
Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
vol. 6, p. 1051b
Our explanationThe Tzemach Tzedek's glossed version of this passage.
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Hemshech 5666, by the Rebbe Rashabהמשך תרס״ו
discourse "Vayigash elav Yehudah" 5668
Our explanationThere the Rebbe Rashab explains: by his body man is "behind" and lowest of all the works of creation, by his soul "before" them all; to join two such distant things required "He blew into his nostrils" — a breath from G‑d's inwardness, from the inner essence of the Infinite Light.
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Kehot’s note
תהלים קלט, ה. וראה ב״ר פ״ח א׳. ראה באוה״ת כרך ו תתרנא, ב. בתרס״ו שם ”דמצד הגוף הוא אחור למע״ב ולמטה מכולם כו׳, ומצד הנשמה הוא קדם למע״ב שקדום לכולם כו׳ הרי דנפש וגוף האדם ה״ה רחוקים ומובדלים זמ״ז לגמרי דנפשו הוא בתכלית העילוי ומצד גופו הוא שפל במדריגה מכולם כו׳, ובכדי שיתחברו שני דברים רחוקים כאלו על זה אמר ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים דהיינו דבכדי שנפש האדם שהיא בצלם אלקים יבוא ויתלבש בגוף חומרי השפל במדריגה בתכלית כו׳ מוכרח להיות ע״י מדריגה גבוה ביותר וזהו״ע הנפיחה בכח דמאן דנפח מתוכו ופנימיותו נפח מבחי׳ פנימיות ועצמות אוא״ס, דהיינו מבחי׳ שרשו ומקורו. . .” ע״ש עוד.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
6
On the words
ד׳ בחי׳ דצח״ם
How it connects
A discourse that also treats the four levels of inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking.our note
The source
Tanya, Likkutei Amarim 38:7–8תניא, חלק ראשון; ליקוטי אמרים ל״ח:ז׳-ח׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
וְדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל, נֶחְלָקוֹת לְאַרְבַּע מַדְרֵגוֹת: דּוֹמֵם, צוֹמֵחַ, חַי, מְדַבֵּר כְּנֶגֶד ד׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת שֵׁם הֲוָיָ״ה בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ מוּשְׁפָּעִים. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאֵין עֵרֶךְ וְדִמְיוֹן הַהֶאָרָה וְהַמְשָׁכַת הַחַיּוּת שֶׁבְּדוֹמֵם וְצוֹמֵחַ, לְהַהֶאָרָה וְהַמְשָׁכַת הַחַיּוּת הַמְלוּבֶּשֶׁת בְּחַי וּמְדַבֵּר, אַף שֶׁבְּכוּלָּן אוֹר אֶחָד שָׁוֶה בִּבְחִינַת הֶסְתֵּר פָּנִים, וּמְלוּבָּשׁ בִּלְבוּשׁ אֶחָד בְּכוּלָּן שֶׁהוּא לְבוּשׁ נוֹגַהּ, כָּךְ, אֵין עֵרֶךְ וְדִמְיוֹן כְּלָל בֵּין הֶאָרַת וְהַמְשָׁכַת אוֹר־אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, שֶׁהוּא פְּנִימִיּוּת רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּלִי הֶסְתֵּר פָּנִים …
Hebrew: Kehot Publication Society (CC-BY-NC) · via Sefaria
Where the note points
Sefer HaMaamarim 5703, by the Previous Rebbe (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn)ספר המאמרים תש״ג
discourse "Chaviv adam", p. 162
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Tanyaתניא
Part I, ch. 38
והנה, עם כל הנכתב לעיל, יובן היטב פסק ההלכה הערוכה בתלמוד ופוסקים ד״הרהור לאו כדבור דמי״, ואם קרא קריאת שמע במחשבתו ובלבו לבד, בכל כח כוונתו – לא יצא ידי חובתו וצריך לחזור ולקרות, וכן בברכת המזון דאורייתא, ובשאר ברכות דרבנן, ובתפלה; ואם הוציא בשפתיו ולא כיון לבו – יצא ידי חובתו בדיעבד, ואין צריך לחזור, לבד מפסוק ראשון של קריאת שמע וברכה ראשונה של תפלת שמונה עשרה, וכדאיתא [בריש פרק ב׳ דברכות]: ״עד כאן מצות כוונה, מכאן ואילך מצות קריאה וכו׳״. והיינו, משום שהנשמה אינה צריכה תיקון לעצמה במצות, רק, להמשיך אור – לתקן נפש החיונית והגוף על ידי אותיות הדבור שהנפש מדברת בה׳ מוצאות הפה, וכן במצות מעשיות שהנפש עושה בשאר אברי הגוף: אך אף על פי כן, אמרו: תפלה או שאר ברכה בלא כוונה – הן כגוף …
Our explanationTanya ch. 38 divides creation into four levels — inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking — corresponding to the four letters of the Name Havayah from which they are drawn, and compares the difference between them to the difference between a mitzvah with and without intention.
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The Previous Rebbe’s maamar “חביב אדם בספר המאמרים” (5703)ד״ה חביב אדם בספר המאמרים תש״ג
A maamar of the Previous Rebbe, 5703
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Kehot’s note
ע׳ בד״ה חביב אדם בספר המאמרים תש״ג ע׳ 162. ראה תניא פל״ח.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
7
On the words
שו״ה הם — ועשבים
How it connects
There it adds that the vegetative corresponds to the Vav of the Name Havayah, for the emotive attributes grow from smallness to greatness.our note
Where the note points
Sefer HaMaamarim 5654, by the Rebbe Rashabספר המאמרים תרנ״ד
p. 257
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Kehot’s note
בתרנ״ד שם ”נגד וא״ו דשם הוי׳ שהמדות צומחין מקטנות לגדלות כו׳”.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
8
On the words
שו״ה הם — החי׳ הרוחני׳
How it connects
There it adds that the animal corresponds to the first Hei of the Name Havayah, Binah, which is the level of "life," as said of Chavah, "the mother of all life."our note
Where the note points
Sefer HaMaamarim 5654, by the Rebbe Rashabספר המאמרים תרנ״ד
p. 257
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Kehot’s note
בתרנ״ד שם: ”נגד אות ה׳ ראשונה דשם הוי׳ דבינה הוא בחי׳ חי כמ״ש בחוה אם כל חי” ע״ש עוד.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
9
On the words
שו״ה הוי״ה — שאין לו גידול
How it connects
There it adds that the inanimate corresponds to the final Hei of the Name Havayah, like the letters, which are "inanimate."our note
Where the note points
Sefer HaMaamarim 5654, by the Rebbe Rashabספר המאמרים תרנ״ד
p. 257
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Kehot’s note
בתרנ״ד ע׳ רנז נוסף ”והוא נגד ה׳ אחרונה דשם הוי׳, וכמו אותיות שהן דוממין כו׳”.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

5והנה דרך כלל הבע״ח הם כלולים מב׳ דברים הגוף שבו הוא בחי׳ צומח1 שהרי נולד קטן ונעשה גדול והנפש שבו היא נפש החי׳ למינה.

Now, in general, animals are made up of two things: the body within them, which is on the level of the vegetative, for it is born small and becomes large; and the soul within them, which is the animal soul of its species.

Explanation

An animal is made of two components: a body, which belongs to the vegetative level since it grows from small to large, and a soul of the animal level, particular to its species.

ומה ששניהם יצאו ביחד מן הארץ. דהיינו הגוף עם נפש החי׳ שבו ע״י מאמר ה׳ כו׳

And as for the fact that both came forth together from the earth — that is, the body with the animal soul within it — through G‑d's utterance, etc.:

Explanation

The question is why these two came out of the earth together, at a single divine command.

היינו משום שבחי׳ צומח וחי עם היותם ב׳ מדריגות זו למעלה מזו אבל הם2 סמוכי׳ זה לזה.

this is because the levels of the vegetative and the animal, although they are two levels, one above the other, are nevertheless adjacent to each other.

Explanation

The reason: the vegetative and the animal are two distinct levels, one above the other, yet they are adjacent — nothing stands between them.

Paragraph 5 in brief

An animal's body is 'vegetative' and its soul 'animal'; because these two levels are adjacent, they could emerge together.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
הגוף שבו הוא בחי׳ צומח
How it connects
This point, that the animal's body belongs to the vegetative level, is mentioned there.our note
Where the note points
Hemshech 5672, by the Rebbe Rashabהמשך תער״ב
section 145
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Kehot’s note
נזכר בהמשך תער״ב סעי׳ קמה.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
אבל הם סמוכים זה לזה
How it connects
the page is on Sefaria, but its text shares nothing with the note (unconfirmed)our note
Where the note points
Likkutei Torahלקוטי תורה
Korach 52c · not yet checked
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Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Yisro, p. 1002
Our explanationA parallel discussion in the Tzemach Tzedek's Or HaTorah, to which the note points.
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Kehot’s note
ראה לקו״ת קרח נב, ג. אוה״ת יתרו ע׳ א׳ב.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

6ולכן יכולים להתחבר יחד דהיינו שיהיה התהוותם בבת אחת כיון שבחי׳ צומח הוא סמוך לבחי׳ חי ואין ביניהם הפסק עוד מדרגה אחרת

Therefore they can be joined together, that is, they can come into being at once, since the level of the vegetative is adjacent to the level of the animal, with no further level interrupting between them.

Explanation

Because no intermediate level separates the vegetative from the animal, the two can be joined and come into being in one act.

לכן נתהוו הבע״ח גופם ונפשם החיונית בבת אחת כנ״ל. משא״כ המדבר רחוק בדילוג הערך מהצומח ולכן לא הי׳ יכול לצאת עם הגוף כאחד:1

Therefore the animals came into being, their bodies and their vital souls, at once, as said above. But the speaking [being] is distant from the vegetative by a leap in rank, and therefore it could not come forth together with the body as one.

Explanation

So the animal's body and life emerged at once. But the human, "speaking" soul is removed from the vegetative by a leap — the animal level lies in between — so it could not come forth together with a body.

Paragraph 6 in brief

Adjacent levels can come into being together; the speaking soul, separated from the vegetative by an intervening level, could not emerge together with a body.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
ולכן — עם הגוף כאחד
How it connects
There the Rebbe Rashab adds that the angels, too, have body and soul comparable to each other, like the vegetative and animal, whereas in man the soul is the highest level (speaking) and the body the lowest (inanimate), so they are far apart.our note
Where the note points
Sefer HaMaamarim 5654, by the Rebbe Rashabספר המאמרים תרנ״ד
p. 257
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
בסה״מ תרנ״ד שם ”וכמו בצומח וחי גופם ונפשם בערך זל״ז ולכן יצאו כאחד ממאמר א׳, כמו״כ מלאכים גופם ונפשם בערך זל״ז . . משא״כ באדם גופו ונפשו רחוקים זמ״ז, דהנפש הוא בחי׳ היותר עליונה מדבר דוקא והגוף הוא דומם בחי׳ היותר תחתונה”.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

Why the body is inanimate: raising all of creation ¶7–9

7ואמנם מה שגופו היה דומם דוקא הוא כי היות ידוע דהאדם הוא תכלית הבריאה1 והיינו להיות הוא מעלה הנצוצות שנפלו בדצ״ח

However, the fact that his body was specifically inanimate is because it is known that man is the purpose of creation, namely, that he is to elevate the sparks that fell into the inanimate, vegetative and animal [realms]

Explanation

Now the maamar explains why man's body had to be specifically inanimate. Man is the purpose of creation: his task is to raise the "sparks" — the fragments of divine light hidden in all things — that fell into the mineral, plant and animal realms.

ע״י שנטפלים לצרכיו לחם לאכול ובגד ללבוש והוא יש בו דעת לעבוד את ה׳ כו׳.

by their being made subordinate to his needs — bread to eat and clothing to wear — while he has the understanding (daas) to serve G‑d, etc.

Explanation

He does this by using them for his needs, eating bread and wearing clothing, while he has the understanding to serve G‑d; when what he uses fuels his service, it is elevated with him.

Paragraph 7 in brief

Man's body is inanimate because his mission is to elevate the sparks within all lower creation, which he does by using it in the service of G‑d.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
דהאדם הוא תכלית הבריאה
How it connects
Cited in the Kehot notes as a source for the principle that man is the purpose of creation.our note
The source
Zohar I, 205bזח״א רה, בSefaria (opens in a new tab)
Where the note points
Guide for the Perplexed, by Maimonidesמורה נבוכים
Part III, ch. 13
Our explanationMaimonides discusses there the question of the final purpose of creation and whether everything exists for man's sake; the note refers to it as part of the classical discussion of this question.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Emunos VeDeos, by Rabbi Saadia Gaonהאמונות והדעות
Treatise 4, ch. 1
Our explanationRabbi Saadia Gaon opens his treatise on man by arguing that man is the goal of all creation.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Balak, p. 1028
Our explanationA lengthy discussion of man as the purpose of creation, which, the note says, cites Avodas HaKodesh.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Avodas HaKodesh, by Rabbi Meir ibn Gabbaiעבודת הקודש
Chelek HaTachlis, ch. 1, 23 and 63
Our explanationThe section of this Kabbalistic work devoted to the purpose (tachlis) of creation and of man's service, cited by the Tzemach Tzedek.
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Sefer HaMaamarim 5708, by the Previous Rebbe (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn)ספר המאמרים תש״ח
p. 136
Our explanationA further discussion of this theme, to which the note points.
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Kehot’s note
ראה זח״א רה, ב. וראה גם מו״נ ח״ג פי״ג. האמונות והדיעות לרס״ג מאמר ד׳ פ״א. ובארוכה באוה״ת פ׳ בלק ע׳ א׳כח ושם מציין לעבודת הקודש חלק התכלית פ״א ופרק כג ופרק סג. וראה גם סה״מ תש״ח ע׳ 136.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

8ועד״מ כשצריכים להגביה איזה דבר מן הארץ ע״י כלי ההגבהה הנקרא ליווע״ר1 צריכים לאחוז בחלקים התחתונים שבו דוקא

By way of analogy: when one needs to lift something from the ground by means of the lifting device called a "levar" [jack], one must take hold of specifically its lowest parts,

Explanation

An analogy from lifting heavy things: with a jack (the Yiddish "levar"), one must grip the object at its lowest part.

כמו בהגבהת כותלי בית שצריכים להתחיל להגביה הקורה התחתון דוקא ואז ממילא יוגבהו גם העליונים הימנו.

as in raising the walls of a house, where one must begin by raising specifically the lowest beam, and then the ones above it are automatically raised as well.

Explanation

When raising the walls of a house, one lifts the bottom beam, and everything resting on it rises along with it.

משא״כ אם היה מתחיל מאמצע הכותל לא היה מגביה התחתונים. כמו״כ נשמת האדם נתלבשה בגוף שמבחי׳ דומם היותר תחתון מכולם ויעלה אותו וממילא יתעל׳ גם הצומח שהוא למעלה מדומם כו׳

But if one were to begin from the middle of the wall, he would not raise the lower ones. So too, the soul of man was vested in a body of the inanimate level, the lowest of them all, and it will raise it, and automatically the vegetative, which is above the inanimate, is also elevated, etc.

Explanation

Lifting from the middle would leave the lower part behind. So the human soul was placed in a body drawn from the very lowest level, the inanimate, so that by raising it everything above it, beginning with the vegetative, is raised too.

וע״ש זה נק׳ מדבר מלשון ידבר עמים2 כלומר שהוא המנהיג את כולם בהיותו מעלה אותם ע״י עבודתו כו׳.

And on account of this he is called "medaber" (speaking), from the expression "He leads (yadber) peoples," that is, he is the leader of them all, since he elevates them through his service, etc.

Explanation

Hence man is called medaber, "speaker," related to yadber in "He leads peoples under us" (Psalms 47:4), a term for leading and governing: man leads all of creation by lifting it up through his service of G‑d.

Paragraph 8 in brief

Like a jack that lifts a wall by its bottom beam, the human soul was placed in the lowest, inanimate body so that in elevating it, it elevates all of creation.

Deeper

Maamarei Admur HaZaken and Or HaTorah (cited in the Kehot notes) bring this analogy in the name of the Maggid of Mezritch: when the lowest beam of a building is raised, the whole building is raised.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
ועד״מ כשצריכים להגבי׳ . . הנקרא ליווע״ר
How it connects
The analogy is brought there in the name of the Maggid: "When the lowest beam of a building is raised, the whole building is raised."our note
Where the note points
Maamarei Admur HaZaken — Inyanimמאמרי אדמו״ר הזקן — ענינים
p. 405
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Or HaTorah — Inyanim, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה — ענינים
p. 326
Our explanationThe same saying of the Maggid about raising the lowest beam of a building is brought there.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Sefer HaSichos 5751, by the Rebbe (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson)ספר השיחות תנש״א
vol. 2, p. 758, note 80
Our explanationA note in the Rebbe's talks that refers to this analogy.
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Kehot’s note
במאמרי אדה״ז ענינים ע׳ תה ובאוה״ת ענינים ע׳ שכו מביא זה בשם המגיד ז״ל וז״ל: ”כשמגביהין עץ התחתון מהבנין אזי נתעלה כל הבנין כולו”. ראה גם בספר השיחות תנש״א כרך ב ע׳ 758 הערה 80.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
ידבר עמים
How it connects
"He leads peoples under us." The Alter Rebbe reads ידבר as "to lead," so that "medaber" (the speaking being) means the one who leads and elevates all of creation.our note
The source
Psalms 47:4תהילים מ״ז:ד׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
3כִּי־ה׳ עֶלְיוֹן נוֹרָא מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל עַל־כׇּל־הָאָרֶץ: 4יַדְבֵּר עַמִּים תַּחְתֵּינוּ וּלְאֻמִּים תַּחַת רַגְלֵינוּ: 5יִבְחַר־לָנוּ אֶת־נַחֲלָתֵנוּ אֶת־גְּאוֹן יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר־אָהֵב סֶלָה:
3For the LORD is most high, awful; a great King over all the earth. 4He subdueth peoples under us, and nations under our feet. 5He chooseth our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob whom He loveth. Selah
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Where the note points
Torah Ohrתורה אור
below, 56a; 68b; 82c
מעלה ולא מטה כו׳. ומזה אינו נמשך על נפש האדם בחי׳ אהבה או תענוג רק בחי׳ בטול לגמרי וזהו לשון דבור מלשון ידבר עמים תחתנו שהוא ל׳ הנהגה והמשכ׳ דהיינו שממשיך שיתגלה למטה בבחי׳ היותו יחיד שהוא בחי׳ עצמותו ומהותו כביכול ולא בבחי׳ אחד בלבד והיינו ע״י התורה דכתיב בה וידבר ה׳ אל משה וגם אינה נקראת בשם עבודת עבד כי כשלומד הדין זה ומדבר דין זה הוא כמלך שמצוה לעשות משפט עמו. ולכן אמרו מאן מלכי רבנן ואמרו מתניתא מלכתא שהרי הוא כאומר דבר המלך בלבד ואינו עושה כלום ואינו מדבר דברי עצמו כלל כמו העבד העושה צווי רבו שהרי הוא העושה והמקיים דבר המלך ודתו ואפילו עושה מאהבה בתענוגים אעפ״כ יש מי שאוהב כו׳ ולפי שלא נתנה תורה להאבות עדיין לכן כתיב ושמי ה׳ לא נודעתי להם לא …
Our explanationThere too speech (dibbur) is explained from "He leads peoples under us" as leadership: through Torah study a person is like a king issuing a decree, drawing G‑d's essence to be revealed below.
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Torah Ohr, Va’eira, maamar 1לקמן נו, א
page 56a, ¶14
וזהו וארא אל אברהם אל יצחק ואל יעקב באל שדי. פי׳ בבחי׳ והמשכות בחי׳ שדי מל׳ ברכות שדים שהם בחי׳ דדים וחלב להגדיל המדות אהבה ויראה כו׳ שהן הם בחי׳ האבות אחר שה׳ אחד בהתגלות לבו בבחי׳ לידה והתגלות לשמח נפשם בתוספת אורה ושמחה להתענג על ה׳ בשמחה ובטוב לבב מרוב כל:
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Kehot’s note
תהלים מז, ד. ראה גם לקמן נו, א. סח, ב. פב. ג.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

9והנה נשמת האדם דוקא יען היותו בחי׳ מדבר הגבוה שבכולם יתלבש בדומם דוקא ולא בצומח

Now the soul of man specifically, because it is the level of the speaking, the highest of them all, is vested specifically in the inanimate, and not in the vegetative.

Explanation

The human soul, being the highest level ("speaking"), is vested specifically in the inanimate, not in the vegetative.

כי צומח רחוק מבחי׳ מדבר רק לבחינת החי הוא סמוך כנ״ל שהם בחי׳ ו׳ ובחי׳ ה׳ עלאה דשם הוי״ה הסמוכה לוי״ו

For the vegetative is distant from the level of the speaking; it is adjacent only to the level of the animal, as said above, for they are the level of the Vav and the level of the upper Hei of the Name Havayah, which is adjacent to the Vav.

Explanation

The vegetative is far from the speaking level and close only to the animal. In the letters of Havayah these are the Vav and the upper (first) Hei, which stand side by side.

אבל בחינת מדבר הוא יו״ד וקש״י שלמעלה מעלה מן הוי״ו אלא בבחינת ה׳ תתאה שהוא מקור בחינת דומם הוא מתלבש כי נעוץ תחלתן בסופן1 2 דוקא.

But the level of the speaking is the Yud and the tip of the Yud, which are far, far above the Vav; rather, it is vested in the level of the lower Hei, which is the source of the level of the inanimate, for "their beginning is wedged in their end" specifically.

Explanation

The speaking level corresponds to the Yud and the tip of the Yud, far above the Vav. It enters instead into the final Hei, the source of the inanimate, because, as Sefer Yetzirah says, the beginning is "wedged" into the end: the highest connects directly with the lowest.

Paragraph 9 in brief

Using the letters of Havayah, the paragraph shows why the highest soul joins the lowest body: the beginning (Yud) is bound to the end (the final Hei), passing over the middle.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
כי נעוץ תחלתן בסופן
How it connects
At this point that discourse refers to the later passage in this maamar explaining that from Chochmah downward is a chain of cause and effect.our note
Where the note points
Sefer HaMaamarim 5633, by the Rebbe Maharashספר המאמרים תרל״ג
p. 273
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Sefer HaMaamarim 5653, by the Rebbe Rashabספר המאמרים תרנ״ג
p. 222
Our explanationThis discourse likewise refers here to the later passage in this maamar on the chain of cause and effect from Chochmah downward.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Torah Ohrתורה אור
below, 4c
וכמשל מדורת אש גדולה שמאירה למרחוק יותר מקטנה כו׳. ונמצא מובן עכ״פ שגוף ונפש של המלאכים הן קרובים בערך זל״ז ונתהוו כאחד ממש ממקורם היא בחי׳ מל׳ דאצי׳ שהיא אם כל חי דבי״ע שע״ז נאמר תוצא הארץ נפש חיה פי׳ ארץ העליונה שהיא המל׳ תוצא נפש כל חיה הם המלאכים שנק׳ חיות ויצאו ביחד גופם עם נשמתם כי הגוף שהוא בחי׳ צומח הוא אצל וסמוך לבחי׳ החי כנ״ל שהצומח הי׳ כלול בחי בבחי׳ עבור כו׳: וכמו״כ יובן גם למעלה יותר בחיון עלאין שהם האבות שהן הן המרכבה והיינו בבחי׳ אצי׳ והיו כלולים מתחלה ג״כ בבטן אימא עלאה בחי׳ עבור ואח״כ יצאו לגילוי. ואז הם בבחי׳ יניקה כו׳ והיינו ענין צומח וחי הסמוכים זה לזה שנמשכים זמ״ז בדרך השתלשלות עו״ע כו׳. משא״כ בחי׳ הדומם שהיא בחי׳ המל׳ היא מובדלת בערך מהם …
It is like the analogy of a large bonfire, which shines farther than a small one, etc. It is understood, in any case, that the body and soul of the angels are close in rank to each other and came into being truly as one from their source, which is the level of Malchus of Atzilus, which is "the mother of all life" of [the worlds of] Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. Of this it is said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures": meaning, the supernal earth, which is Malchus, shall bring forth the soul of every living being — these are the angels, who are called "beasts" — and their bodies came forth together with their souls, for the body, which is the level of the vegetative, is beside and adjacent to the level of the animal, as said above, that the vegetative was contained in the animal in a state of gestation, etc.
Our explanationLater in this maamar the Alter Rebbe explains that the vegetative and animal levels descend from one another by cause and effect, but Malchus, the "inanimate" letters, does not; it comes directly from a higher source. This is why the beginning connects with the end.
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Kehot’s note
בסה״מ תרל״ג ע׳ רעג ובסה״מ תרנ״ג ע׳ רכב מציינים כאן למה שנתבאר לקמן ד, ג כי מחכמה ולמטה הוא בחי׳ השתלשלות.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
נעוץ תחלתן בסופן
How it connects
"Their end is wedged in their beginning and their beginning in their end," said of the ten Sefiros. The Alter Rebbe uses it for the bond between the highest level and the lowest.our note
The source
Sefer Yetzirah 1:7ספר יצירה א׳:ז׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
עשר ספירות בלי מה נעוץ סופן בתחלתן ותחלתן בסופן כשלהבת קשורה בגחלת שאדון יחיד ואין לו שני ולפני אחד מה אתה סופר:
Ten SEFIROT BELIMAH—Their end is attached to their start, like the flame-tongue is bound to the coal. For the Lord is unique, He has no second—before one, what can you count?
Hebrew: Sefer Yetzirah, Warsaw 1884 (Public Domain) · English: Sefaria Community Translation (CC0) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.

"With Chochmah He founded the earth" and the two Names ¶10–12

10והענין דכתיב בחכמה יסד ארץ1 כונן שמים בתבונה ושמים וארץ הם רוחניות וגשמיות שהם דרך כלל דומם וצומח

And the explanation: it is written, "With Chochmah He founded the earth; He established the heavens with Tevunah (understanding)." Heaven and earth are spirituality and physicality, which are, in general, the inanimate and the vegetative.

Explanation

Proverbs 3:19 says the earth was founded with Chochmah (wisdom) and the heavens established with Tevunah (understanding, i.e., Binah). Heaven and earth stand for the spiritual and the physical — broadly, the vegetative and the inanimate.

כי הדומם הוא הגשם היותר אחרון והצומח יש בו איזה רוחניו׳ ולמעלה היינו זו״נ שהמדות נק׳ צומח שיש בהן קטנות וגדלות אבל האותיות הם בחי׳ דומם שאין בהם גידול כו׳.

For the inanimate is the very last [degree of] physicality, while the vegetative has some spirituality in it. And above, this is Z'eir Anpin and Nukva: the emotive attributes are called "vegetative," for they have smallness and greatness, but the letters are the level of the inanimate, which has no growth, etc.

Explanation

The inanimate is the most physical; the vegetative has a measure of spirit, since it lives and grows. Above, in the Sefiros, this is Z'eir Anpin and Nukva: the emotions are "vegetative" since they grow from small to large, while the letters (speech, Malchus) are "inanimate," fixed and without growth.

Paragraph 10 in brief

The verse about wisdom founding the earth and understanding the heavens is introduced, with heaven and earth related to the vegetative and the inanimate, and above to the emotions (Z'eir Anpin) and the letters (Nukva, Malchus).

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
דכתיב בחכמה יסד ארץ
How it connects
"G‑d founded the earth with wisdom; He established the heavens with understanding." The Alter Rebbe reads it as the source of earth (inanimate) in Chochmah and of heaven (vegetative) in Binah.our note
The source
Proverbs 3:19משלי ג׳:י״טSefaria (opens in a new tab)
18עֵץ־חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר: 19ה׳ בְּחׇכְמָה יָסַד־אָרֶץ כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה: 20בְּדַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמוֹת נִבְקָעוּ וּשְׁחָקִים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָל:
18… to them that lay hold upon her, And happy is every one that holdest her fast. 19The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens. 20By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
משלי ג, יט.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

11והנה שמים עם היותם נעלים במדרגה הוא כוננם בתבונה שלמטה מהחכמה ובחכמה יסד ארץ1 שלמטה במדרגה משמים. ולכאורה נהפוך הוא.

Now the heavens, although they are exalted in level, He established with Tevunah, which is below Chochmah; and with Chochmah He founded the earth, which is lower in level than the heavens. Seemingly, it should be the reverse!

Explanation

The puzzle: the heavens are higher, yet they were made with Tevunah, which is below Chochmah, while the lower earth was made with the higher Chochmah. One would expect the reverse.

אבל הענין מטעם הנ״ל כי היא הנותנת שבחי׳ המדות מקבלים מהבינה שמהתבוננות מתפעל והוא בחי׳ חי וצומח משא״כ החכמה היא למעלה מערך זה

But the matter is for the reason stated above; this is exactly what dictates it: the level of the emotive attributes receives from Binah, for from contemplation one is stirred, and this is the level of the animal and the vegetative; whereas Chochmah is above this category.

Explanation

The answer follows the principle already stated: the emotions come from Binah, since contemplating an idea stirs feeling; this is a gradual, adjacent relationship, the "animal and vegetative" kind. Chochmah is beyond that kind of relationship altogether.

אבל בה יסד ארץ משום דנתחב״ס כו׳ ולכן הי׳ גוף האדם מתחלה דומם דוקא ולא כשאר בע״ח שנתהווה גופם בבחי׳ צומח מתחלתם ולא הי׳ דומם

Yet with it He founded the earth, because "their end is wedged in their beginning," etc. And therefore the body of man was at first specifically inanimate, and not like the other animals, whose bodies came into being on the level of the vegetative from their very beginning and were not inanimate.

Explanation

Precisely because Chochmah is so high, it can found the lowest, for "their end is wedged in their beginning." That is why man's body began as inanimate, unlike the animals, whose bodies were vegetative from the outset.

משא״כ אדה״ר דכתיב בי׳ גלמי ראו עיניך2 בחי׳ גולם ודומם ואח״כ ויפח3 כו׳ לפי שנשמתו מבחי׳ ח״ע ובחכמה יסד ארץ.

Not so Adam, the first man, of whom it is written, "Your eyes saw my unformed mass" — the level of an unformed mass and of the inanimate — and afterward "He blew…," because his soul is from the level of supernal Chochmah, and "with Chochmah He founded the earth."

Explanation

Adam's body began as a golem, lifeless and inanimate, before G‑d breathed life into it, because his soul derives from supernal Chochmah — and it is Chochmah that founds the "earth," the inanimate.

Paragraph 11 in brief

The verse is resolved: the highest level, Chochmah, founds the lowest, the earth, while Binah produces the adjacent intermediate levels; so Adam, whose soul is from supernal Chochmah, received an inanimate body.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
ובחכמה יסד ארץ
How it connects
The earth, the lowest, is founded with Chochmah, the highest; the heavens with Tevunah.our note
The source
Proverbs 3:19משלי ג׳:י״טSefaria (opens in a new tab)
18עֵץ־חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר: 19ה׳ בְּחׇכְמָה יָסַד־אָרֶץ כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה: 20בְּדַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמוֹת נִבְקָעוּ וּשְׁחָקִים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָל:
18… to them that lay hold upon her, And happy is every one that holdest her fast. 19The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens. 20By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
2
On the words
גלמי ראו עיניך
How it connects
Read as Adam's lifeless, unformed stage before the soul was breathed into him.our note
The source
Psalms 139:16תהילים קל״ט:ט״זSefaria (opens in a new tab)
15לֹא־נִכְחַד עׇצְמִי מִמֶּךָּ אֲשֶׁר־עֻשֵּׂיתִי בַסֵּתֶר רֻקַּמְתִּי בְּתַחְתִּיּוֹת אָרֶץ: 16גׇּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וְעַל־סִפְרְךָ כֻּלָּם יִכָּתֵבוּ יָמִים יֻצָּרוּ וְלוֹ אֶחָד בָּהֶם: 17וְלִי מַה־יָּקְרוּ רֵעֶיךָ אֵל מֶה עָצְמוּ רָאשֵׁיהֶם:
15… When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance, And in Thy book they were all written— Even the days that were fashioned, When as yet there was none of them. 17How weighty also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
3
On the words
ויפח
How it connects
The soul was breathed into Adam only after his body was formed.our note
The source
Genesis 2:7בראשית ב׳:ז׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
6וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן־הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת־כׇּל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה: 7וַיִּיצֶר ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה: 8וַיִּטַּע ה׳ אֱלֹקִים גַּן־בְּעֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם וַיָּשֶׂם שָׁם אֶת־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר יָצָר:
6but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8And the LORD God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there He put the man …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.

12ובזה יובן מ״ש בבריאת האדם וייצר ה׳ אלקים בב׳ שמות כי להיות התחברות נפשו וגופו מדבר ודומם הרחוקים זמ״ז בערך יותר מריחוק הגוף מהנפש שבשאר כל הבע״ח כנ״ל שצומח וחי סמוכים יחד

With this we will understand what is written of the creation of man, "And Havayah Elokim formed," with two Names: since it is the joining of his soul and his body — speaking and inanimate — which are farther apart from each other in rank than the body is from the soul in all the other animals, for, as said above, the vegetative and the animal are adjacent to each other;

Explanation

This explains why the verse about man's formation uses two divine Names, Havayah and Elokim. Man's soul (speaking) and body (inanimate) are much farther apart than an animal's soul and body, which belong to adjacent levels.

משא״כ הדומם עם המדבר שרחוקים זמ״ז מהקצה אל הקצה ולכן כדי שיתחברו יחד הוא ע״י ב׳ שמות:1

whereas the inanimate and the speaking are distant from each other, from one extreme to the other. Therefore, in order that they be joined together, it is through two Names.

Explanation

Speaking and inanimate stand at opposite extremes, so joining them requires two Names working together; later (paragraph 30) the maamar says that through these two Names Chochmah is joined with Malchus.

Paragraph 12 in brief

The two Names in "Havayah Elokim formed" reflect the need for a double divine force to bind a soul and body that stand at opposite extremes.

Deeper

In Chassidus, Havayah is the Name of transcendence that brings all into being, and Elokim the Name of concealment and limitation; the union of the highest and the lowest in man requires both.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
וייצר ה׳ אלקים
How it connects
The verse on man's formation uses both Names, Havayah and Elokim; the Alter Rebbe reads the double Name as the force needed to join soul and body.our note
The source
Genesis 2:7בראשית ב׳:ז׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
6וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן־הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת־כׇּל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה: 7וַיִּיצֶר ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה: 8וַיִּטַּע ה׳ אֱלֹקִים גַּן־בְּעֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם וַיָּשֶׂם שָׁם אֶת־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר יָצָר:
6but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8And the LORD God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there He put the man …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.

The four levels in the soul and in the Sefiros ¶13–17

13ולהבין בתוס׳ ביאור1 ענין וייצר ה׳ אלקים את האדם עפר מן האדמה ואח״כ ויפח באפיו נ״ח2 שהגוף שלו בתחלתו הי׳ בלא נפש עדיין והי׳ דומם מעפר גשמי

To understand with further explanation the matter of "And Havayah Elokim formed the man of dust from the ground," and afterward "He blew into his nostrils the breath of life" — that his body at first was still without a soul, and was inanimate, of physical dust,

Explanation

The maamar begins a second, deeper explanation of the same verse: man's body was first lifeless, inanimate dust, and only afterward received a soul.

ואח״כ נתלבשה בו נפש חיה המדברת כו׳ משא״כ בשאר כל הנבראי׳ דצומח וחי שגופם ונפשם יצאו כא׳ מן הארץ כו׳.

and afterward the living, speaking soul was vested in it, etc.; whereas in all the other creatures, vegetative and animal, their bodies and souls came forth together from the earth, etc.

Explanation

In contrast, plants and animals received body and soul together from the earth.

הענין יובן בהקדם דכמו שיש בגשמיות ד׳ בחי׳ דצח״מ. ככה גם ברוחניו׳ נמצאים ד׳ בחי׳ אלו.

The matter will be understood by first stating that just as in physicality there are four levels — inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking — so too in spirituality these four levels are found.

Explanation

The key premise: the four levels of the physical world (inanimate, vegetative, animal, speaking) have counterparts in the spiritual realm — in the human soul and in the Sefiros above.

Paragraph 13 in brief

A fuller explanation of man's creation begins, built on the premise that the four levels of physical creation exist in spiritual form as well.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
ולהבין בתוס׳ ביאור
How it connects
Another transcript of this section, apparently the one recorded by the Mitteler Rebbe.our note
Where the note points
Maamarei Admur HaZaken — Parshiyos HaTorahמאמרי אדמו״ר הזקן — פרשיות התורה
p. 22
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Torah Chaim, by the Mitteler Rebbe (Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch)תורת חיים
Bereshit 23b
Our explanationThe Mitteler Rebbe develops this explanation at length there.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Bereshit, vol. 6, p. 1052b
Our explanationThe Tzemach Tzedek's glosses on this section, taken from Likkutei Torah L'Gimmel Parshiyos.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Manuscript volume of discourses in the handwriting of the Tzemach Tzedekגוף כתב יד קדשו של הצמח צדק — בוך מאמרים
from the years 5571–5572
Our explanationThis section is preserved in the Tzemach Tzedek's handwritten volume of discourses from those years.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
הנחה אחרת [כנראה הנחת כ״ק אדה״א] במאמרי אדה״ז פרשיות ע׳ כב. בארוכה בתו״ח בראשית כג, ב. הגהות באוה״ת בראשית כרך ו תתרנב, ב (מלקו״ת לג״פ פרשיות).
נמצא בגוכתי״ק הצ״צ בבוך מאמרים משנת תקע״א-ב.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
וייצר ה׳ אלקים את האדם עפר מן האדמה ואח״כ ויפח באפיו נ״ח
How it connects
Man's body was formed from dust first, and only afterward was the breath of life blown into it.our note
The source
Genesis 2:7בראשית ב׳:ז׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
6וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן־הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת־כׇּל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה: 7וַיִּיצֶר ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה: 8וַיִּטַּע ה׳ אֱלֹקִים גַּן־בְּעֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם וַיָּשֶׂם שָׁם אֶת־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר יָצָר:
6but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8And the LORD God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there He put the man …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.

14ועד״מ בנפש האותיות הן בחי׳ דומם1 שאין בהם גידול כו׳ והמדות הן בחי׳ צומח שהרי התפעלות קטנה בתחלתה מתלהבת אח״כ עד שתהי׳ שלהבת עזה כו׳

By way of analogy, in the soul: the letters are the level of the inanimate, which have no growth, etc.; and the emotive attributes are the level of the vegetative, for an emotional arousal that is small at first later blazes up until it becomes a mighty flame, etc.

Explanation

In the human soul, the letters of thought and speech are "inanimate": a word stays what it is and does not grow. The emotions are "vegetative": a feeling starts as a small stirring and grows into a strong flame.

וצמיחותם הוא מן השכל כמו שהצומח גשמי הי׳ בתחלה צפון וטמון בארץ ואח״כ יוצא וצומח לחוץ כן המדות הם כלולים ונעלמים תחלה בשכל המולידם ואח״כ יוצאים בגילוי.

And their growth is from the intellect: just as the physical plant was at first hidden and buried in the ground, and afterward comes out and sprouts outward, so the emotive attributes are at first contained and concealed in the intellect that gives birth to them, and afterward they come out into revelation.

Explanation

Emotions grow out of the intellect as a plant grows out of the ground: first hidden within the idea that gives birth to them, then emerging into the open.

Paragraph 14 in brief

Within the soul, the letters are the 'inanimate' level and the emotions the 'vegetative,' growing out of the intellect as plants grow out of the earth.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
האותיות הן בחי׳ דומם
How it connects
Another passage in Likkutei Torah that treats the letters as the "inanimate" level, to which the note points.our note
Where the note points
Likkutei Torahלקוטי תורה
Chukas 58a · not yet checked
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Torah Chaim, by the Mitteler Rebbe (Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch)תורת חיים
Bereshit 19d ff.
Our explanationA parallel discussion of the letters as the inanimate level.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Sefer HaMaamarim 5696, by the Previous Rebbe (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn)ספר המאמרים תרצ״ו
discourse "Chavivin Yisrael"
Our explanationA later discourse that also treats the letters as the inanimate level.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Sefer HaMaamarim 5702, by the Previous Rebbe (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn)ספר המאמרים תש״ב
discourse "Eizehu chacham", ch. 5
Our explanationA later discourse that also treats the letters as the inanimate level.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Likkutei Sichos, by the Rebbe (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson)לקוטי שיחות
vol. 6, p. 113, note 54
Our explanationA note in the Rebbe's talks that refers to this idea.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Likkutei Torah, Chukas, maamar 2בלקו״ת חקת נח, א
page 58a, ¶7
צומח ודומם כי בכלל מאתים מנה.
Open it on Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
The Previous Rebbe’s maamar “חביבין ישראל” (5696)ד״ה חביבין ישראל תרצ״ו
A maamar of the Previous Rebbe, 5696
Find it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
ראה גם בלקו״ת חקת נח, א. תו״ח בראשית יט, ד ואילך. ד״ה חביבין ישראל תרצ״ו. איזהו חכם תש״ב פ״ה. לקוטי שיחות ח״ו ע׳ 113 הערה 54.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

15ובנמשל למעלה המל׳ נק׳ דומם וז״א דאצי׳ שהוא המדות נק׳ צומח והיינו שצומח מן אימא עלאה שהוא בחי׳ השכל העליון שנק׳ בשם חי

And in the analogue above: Malchus is called "inanimate," and Z'eir Anpin of Atzilus, which is the emotive attributes, is called "vegetative," meaning that it grows from the supernal Imma, which is the level of the supernal intellect, called by the name "living,"

Explanation

Applied above to the Sefiros of Atzilus: Malchus (divine speech) is "inanimate"; Z'eir Anpin, the divine emotions, is "vegetative," growing out of the supernal Imma ("mother"), that is, Binah, the supernal intellect, which is called "living."

כמ״ש בחוה כי היא הית׳ אם כל חי1 וגם החכ׳ נק׳ חיה כדכתיב והחכמה תחי׳2 כו׳.

as it is written of Chavah, "for she was the mother of all life"; and Chochmah too is called "life," as it is written, "And wisdom gives life…," etc.

Explanation

Binah is called "living" after Chavah, "the mother of all life" (Genesis 3:20), since Imma, the mother, is Binah; and Chochmah too is associated with life, for "wisdom gives life" (Ecclesiastes 7:12).

Paragraph 15 in brief

Among the Sefiros, Malchus is the 'inanimate,' Z'eir Anpin the 'vegetative,' and Binah (and in a sense Chochmah) the 'living.'

Deeper

The maamar returns to the verse "wisdom gives life" in paragraph 29, explaining that it refers to a second, lower aspect of Chochmah, while the first aspect is called "speaking."

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
כי היא היתה אם כל חי
How it connects
Adam names his wife Chavah "because she was the mother of all life." The Alter Rebbe applies it to Binah, the supernal mother, as the level of "life."our note
The source
Genesis 3:20בראשית ג׳:כ׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
19בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ תֹּאכַל לֶחֶם עַד שׁוּבְךָ אֶל־הָאֲדָמָה כִּי מִמֶּנָּה לֻקָּחְתָּ כִּי־עָפָר אַתָּה וְאֶל־עָפָר תָּשׁוּב: 20וַיִּקְרָא הָאָדָם שֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ חַוָּה כִּי הִוא הָיְתָה אֵם כׇּל־חָי: 21וַיַּעַשׂ ה׳ אֱלֹקִים לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ כׇּתְנוֹת עוֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם:
19… out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.’ 20And the man called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
בראשית ג, כ.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
והחכמה תחי׳
How it connects
"Wisdom gives life to those who possess it." It shows that Chochmah too is called "life."our note
The source
Ecclesiastes 7:12קהלת ז׳:י״בSefaria (opens in a new tab)
11טוֹבָה חׇכְמָה עִם־נַחֲלָה וְיֹתֵר לְרֹאֵי הַשָּׁמֶשׁ: 12כִּי בְּצֵל הַחׇכְמָה בְּצֵל הַכָּסֶף וְיִתְרוֹן דַּעַת הַחׇכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה בְעָלֶיהָ: 13רְאֵה אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹקִים כִּי מִי יוּכַל לְתַקֵּן אֵת אֲשֶׁר עִוְּתוֹ:
11Wisdom is good with an inheritance, Yea, a profit to them that see the sun. 12For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it. 13Consider the work of God; for who can make that straight, which He hath made crooked?
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
קהלת ז, יב.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

16ונמצא שהצומח עם החי הם סמוכים זל״ז בלי דילוג והפסק מדריגה אחרת אמצעית ביניהן והם מתאחדים ומתדבקים זב״ז מצד עצמותן1 ומהותן

It turns out that the vegetative and the animal are adjacent to each other, without a leap or the interruption of another, intermediate level between them, and they unite and cleave to each other by virtue of their very essence and nature.

Explanation

So the vegetative (the emotions) and the animal (the intellect) are adjacent, with nothing between them, and bonded by their very nature.

שהרי מתחלה הי׳ הצומח כלול בחי ממש שהוא ענין העלם המדות בבחי׳ עבור בהשכל כולד הצפון בבטן האם דירך אמו2 הוא ממש

For at first the vegetative was contained within the animal itself — this is the concealment of the emotive attributes in a state of gestation within the intellect, like a fetus hidden in the mother's womb, which is literally "its mother's thigh";

Explanation

At first the emotions exist hidden within the intellect, a stage called "gestation," like a fetus in the womb, which the Talmud regards as part of the mother's body ("a fetus is its mother's thigh").

וגם אח״כ ביציאתן לחוץ עדיין צריכין לאמן הם בימי יניקה שהשכל מחי׳ ומגדל את המדות והוא קיומן ממש.

and even afterward, when they come out, they still need their mother in the days of nursing: the intellect enlivens and grows the emotive attributes, and it is their very sustenance.

Explanation

Even after they emerge, the emotions still depend on the intellect as an infant depends on nursing: the intellect keeps nourishing and growing them.

Paragraph 16 in brief

The analogy of gestation and nursing shows how intimately the emotions are bound to the intellect, like a child to its mother.

Deeper

Gestation (ibbur), nursing (yenikah) and intellect (mochin) are the stages of the development of Z'eir Anpin in the Arizal's system; the maamar names them again in paragraph 29.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
שו״ה ומתדבקים — עצמותן
How it connects
A variant reading: "עצמיותן" (their essentiality) in place of "עצמותן" (their essence); the meaning is the same.our note
Where the note points
Manuscript in the handwriting of the Tzemach Tzedekגוף כתב יד קדשו של הצמח צדק
on this line
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
בגוכתי״ק הצ״צ: עצמיותן.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
כולד . . דירך אמו
How it connects
The Talmud's principle that a fetus is "its mother's thigh," part of her body. It illustrates how the emotions, while hidden in the intellect, are one with it.our note
The source
Gittin 23bגיטין כ״ג בSefaria (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
גיטין כג, ב. וש״נ.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

17ולכן גם בגשמיו׳ במאמר תוצא הארץ נפש חיה1 יצא גוף הבהמות ונפשותן שהם בחי׳ צומח וחי כאחד מן הארץ על היותן סמוכים ומתאחדי׳ זע״ז גם בשרשן כנ״ל.

Therefore in physicality too, by the utterance "Let the earth bring forth living creatures," the bodies of the animals and their souls, which are the levels of the vegetative and the animal, came forth together from the earth, since they are adjacent and united with each other in their root as well, as said above.

Explanation

That is why, at "Let the earth bring forth living creatures," the animals' bodies (vegetative) and souls (animal) came forth together: they are united even at their root.

משא״כ הדומם רחוק מן החי ביותר שהרי בחי׳ צומח מפסיק ביניהן. ועד״מ האותיות אין להם שייכות כלל להשכל שאינן כמו המדות שהם בערך וסוג קרוב עם השכל.

But the inanimate is very far from the animal, for the level of the vegetative interrupts between them. By way of analogy: the letters have no connection at all to the intellect, for they are not like the emotive attributes, which are of a kind and category close to the intellect.

Explanation

The inanimate, however, is far from the animal, with the vegetative in between. In the soul, the letters bear no relation to the intellect, while the emotions are of a kindred nature with it.

וראוי הוא שיהי׳ התהוות ההתפעלות מן השכל כמ״ש לפי שכלו יהולל איש.2 וע״כ הם סמוכים זל״ז כנ״ל.

And it is fitting that the emotional arousal come into being from the intellect, as it is written, "A man is praised according to his intellect." Therefore they are adjacent to each other, as said above.

Explanation

Feelings naturally arise from understanding — "a man is praised according to his intellect" (Proverbs 12:8) — so intellect and emotion are adjacent.

אבל האותיות הן הנה ממהות וסוג אחר כי הם גשמיים ממש ואין להם שייכות כלל למהות השכל (ועמש״ל בד״ה בכ״ה בכסליו3 גבי נרות וקטורת)

But the letters are of another essence and category, for they are actually physical and have no connection at all to the essence of the intellect (and see what is written above in the discourse beginning "On the twenty-fifth of Kislev," regarding the lamps and the incense).

Explanation

The letters, though, are of a different order entirely; the Alter Rebbe refers to his Chanukah discourse, on the lamps and the incense, for more on this.

ולכן גוף האדם שהי׳ דומם וגולם נתהווה כמו שהוא בלא נפש החיונית כי לא יכלה נפש החיה כלל להתחבר עמו.4

Therefore man's body, which was inanimate and an unformed mass, came into being as it is, without the vital soul, for the animal soul could not join with it at all.

Explanation

Therefore man's body, being inanimate, came into being without any life; even the animal soul could not join with it.

אמנם אח״כ נתלבשה בו נפש האדם עם היותה בחי׳ מדבר שהוא למעלה בערך גם מן החי.5

However, afterward the soul of man was vested in it, though it is the level of the speaking, which is above in rank even the animal.

Explanation

Yet the human soul, higher even than the animal soul, did afterward enter it — which seems surprising.

אבל הענין כי היא הנותנת שבבחי׳ שלמטה מטה ביותר א״א שירד וישפיל א״ע שם רק מי שהוא גבוה בערך ביותר

But the matter is that this is exactly what dictates it: into the very lowest level, none can descend and lower himself there except one who is highest in rank.

Explanation

The principle: only something of the very highest rank can descend to the very lowest place.

ולכן בגוף שמבחי׳ דומם היותר נמוך במדרגה נתלבשה נפש המדברת הגבוה מכולן משא״כ בצומח שלא נתלבשה בו רק נפש החיה.

Therefore into the body of the inanimate level, the lowest in rank, the speaking soul, the highest of them all, was vested; whereas into the vegetative only the animal soul was vested.

Explanation

So the lowest body received the highest soul, while the vegetative body received only the animal soul.

רק שאותה הנפש יצאה כאחד עם הגוף אבל בדומם אינו כן שלא יצאה הנפש המדברת עמו כא׳ רק שאח״כ נתלבשה בו כו׳:

Only, that soul came forth together with the body; but with the inanimate it is not so, for the speaking soul did not come forth together with it; rather, afterward it was vested in it, etc.

Explanation

The difference: the animal soul came forth together with its body, while the speaking soul entered the inanimate body only afterward.

Paragraph 17 in brief

The analogy is applied: adjacent levels arise together, but only the highest soul can enter the lowest body, and only afterward.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
תוצא הארץ נפש חיה
How it connects
The animals' bodies and souls came forth together from the earth at this command.our note
The source
Genesis 1:24בראשית א׳:כ״דSefaria (opens in a new tab)
23וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי: 24וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ בְּהֵמָה וָרֶמֶשׂ וְחַיְתוֹ־אֶרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וַיְהִי־כֵן: 25וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה לְמִינָהּ וְאֵת כׇּל־רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים כִּי־טוֹב:
23And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. 24And God said: ‘Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind.’ And it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth after its kind, and the cattle after their …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
2
On the words
לפי שכלו יהולל איש
How it connects
"A man is praised according to his intellect." The Alter Rebbe uses it to show that a person's feelings follow from his understanding.our note
The source
Proverbs 12:8משלי י״ב:ח׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
7הָפוֹךְ רְשָׁעִים וְאֵינָם וּבֵית צַדִּיקִים יַעֲמֹד: 8לְפִי־שִׂכְלוֹ יְהֻלַּל־אִישׁ וְנַעֲוֵה־לֵב יִהְיֶה לָבוּז: 9טוֹב נִקְלֶה וְעֶבֶד לוֹ מִמִּתְכַּבֵּד וַחֲסַר־לָחֶם:
7The wicked are overthrown, and are not; But the house of the righteous shall stand. 8A man shall be commended according to his intelligence; But he that is of a distorted understanding shall be despised. 9Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant, Than he that playeth the …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
משלי יב, ח.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
3
On the words
בד״ה בכ״ה בכסלו
How it connects
The Chanukah discourse, which asks why the miracle was commemorated with lamps and explains the Menorah and the incense of the Temple; the Alter Rebbe points there for the distinction between the letters and the intellect.our note
Where the note points
Torah Ohrתורה אור
below, 29a (the discourse "On the twenty-fifth of Kislev")
שהוא מבחי׳ חלום מעולם העגולים כו׳. ולכן נק׳ בן פור״ת אותיות פות״ר ותופ״ר שמחבר כו׳. ולכן היה פותר חלומות: בכ״ה בכסליו יומי דחנוכה כו׳ שכשנכנסו יונים להיכל וכו׳. וכשגברו מלכות בית חשמונאי ונצחום לא מצאו אלא פך א׳ של שמן כו׳. לשנה אחרת קבעום ח׳ י״ט בהלל והודאה. להבין ענין הלל וענין הודאה. וגם להבין למה תקנו בנס זה להדליק נרות זכר למקדש שמצאו פך א׳ של שמן כו׳ ולא תקנו כן בשאר נסים. וגם מה ענין נרות להלל והודאה. אך הענין הוא דכתיב נר מצוה ותורה אור כו׳. ויובן בהקדים לבאר ענין המנורה שבבהמ״ק שארז״ל וכי לאורה הוא צריך כו׳. והנה כתיב ובהעלות אהרן את הנרות בין הערבים יקטירנה. ובבקר בהטיבו את הנרות יקטירנה. שבלילה היה מדליק כל ז׳ הנרות ולמחר מדשנם ומטיבם ולא היה מדליק אלא נר המערבי …
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Kehot’s note
לקמן כט, א.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
4
On the words
שו״ה החי׳ — עמו
How it connects
A variant reading: "עמו כו'" ("with it, etc."), adding "etc."our note
Where the note points
Manuscript in the handwriting of the Tzemach Tzedekגוף כתב יד קדשו של הצמח צדק
on this line
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
בגוכתי״ק הצ״צ: עמו כו׳.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
5
On the words
עם היותה בחי׳ מדבר שהוא למעלה בערך גם מן החי
How it connects
The Tzemach Tzedek notes that this maamar explains man's soul to be from supernal Chochmah, so that "Adam" is Chochmah; and where "Adam" is explained elsewhere as will (ratzon), this is because Abba receives from Mazal and forms the letters of ratzon.our note
Where the note points
Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Derushim L'Rosh Hashanah, p. 1337
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Kehot’s note
ראה אוה״ת דרושים לר״ה ע׳ א׳שלז שכאן נתבאר שנשמת האדם הוא מבחי׳ ח״ע, א״כ בחי׳ אדם הוא חכמה, ומה שנתבאר שאדם הוא רצון ”היינו כי אבא מקבל ממזל ונוצר אותיות רצון” ע״ש.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

Angels and souls: the purpose of self-nullification ¶18–23

18וביאור כל זה הנה יובן ע״פ ענין ההפרש שבין מלאכים1 לנשמות. כי הנה המלאכים נק׳ בשם חיות ובהמות2 כמ״ש פני ארי׳ אל הימין3 ופני שור מהשמאל כו׳.

The explanation of all this will be understood through the difference between angels and souls. For the angels are called by the names of beasts and animals, as it is written, "The face of a lion on the right, and the face of an ox on the left…," etc.

Explanation

To clarify all this, the maamar compares angels with souls. Angels are called "beasts" (chayos) and animals, as in Ezekiel's vision of the divine chariot, with the faces of a lion and an ox.

והם מורכבים ג״כ מגוף ונפש ונק׳ חומר וצורה4 כמו בנ״א. רק שההפרש ביניהם לבנ״א הוא שגופם רוחני יותר.5

And they too are composed of a body and a soul, called matter and form, as with human beings; only, the difference between them and human beings is that their body is more spiritual.

Explanation

Angels too have a "body" and a "soul" — matter and form — as humans do, but their body is more spiritual.

Paragraph 18 in brief

Angels, like animals, have a body and soul close to each other; the comparison with human souls will illuminate the question of man's creation.

Deeper

Tanya ch. 39 explains that angels are called beasts because their love and awe are natural to them, without free choice; Tanya ch. 40 cites Rabbi Chaim Vital that all angels have matter and form.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
ההפרש שבין מלאכים ונשמות
How it connects
There the Alter Rebbe explains that the bodies of the angels are "something" created from the outer dimension of the vessels, while the souls of angels come from the "union of kisses" and human souls from the union of Z'eir Anpin and Nukva.our note
Where the note points
Tanya — Iggeres HaKodeshתניא — אגרת הקודש
Epistle 20 (130a)
איהו וחיוהי חד, איהו וגרמוהי חד בהון. (פירוש, עשר ספירות דאצילות; חיוהי הן האורות, ו״גרמוהי״ הן הכלים, שכולן אלקות, מה שאין כן בבריאה יצירה עשיה כו׳). וצריך להבין היטב, איך ה״אין סוף״ חד עם ״גרמוהי״ הן הכלים, הרי הכלים הן בבחינת גבול ותכלית, כמו שכתוב בעץ חיים. אמנם, הכוונה היא, לומר שהן אלקות לברוא יש מאין כמו ה״אין סוף״, ולא בבחינת השתלשלות עילה ועלול לבד. ומה שכתב הרמ״ק ענין השתלשלות עילה ועלול, וכן הוא בזוהר הקדוש פרשת בראשית, היינו, בהשתלשלות הספירות בספירות עצמן (בבחינת הכלים), שנקראות ״בלי מה״ בספר יצירה, שאינן בבחינת יש ומהות מושג, וכמו ה״אין סוף״ דלית מחשבה תפיסא ביה כלל, וכמו שכתוב: ״ופני לא יראו״. ונבואת משה רבינו עליו השלום והשגתו, היתה מפרק עליון דנצח ד״זעיר אנפין״. ובהשתלשלות העלול הוא מוקף מהעילה, ובטל במציאות אצלו כזיו השמש …
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Biurei HaZohar, by the Mitteler Rebbe (Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch)ביאורי הזהר
2a; 98c
Our explanationThe Mitteler Rebbe's discussions of the difference between angels and souls.
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Likkutei Torahלקוטי תורה
Shir HaShirim 39d
נקודא קדמאה כו׳ ע״ש והוא מובן ע״פ הנ״ל ועמ״ש במ״א בד״ה עוטה אור כשלמ וסד״ה ואלה שמות בנ״י: והנה שרש הנשמות הוא מבחי׳ פנימיות החכמה ושרש נשמות מלאכי׳ הוא מבחי׳ חיצוניות כי המלאכים נולדים מזיווג נשיקין דזו״נ שהוא רוחני והיינו שנמשכה השפע כסדר ההשתלשלות והרי נתבאר שבהשתלשלות אינו נמשך רק מבחי׳ חיצוניות החכמה משא״כ הולדת נש״י להיותם מזיווג גופני שהוא נמשך יותר במדרגה והוא גשמי בערך הנה נעוץ סופו בתחלתו שבו דוקא נמשך הארת הפנימיות (וע׳ בפי׳ הראב״ד בס״י גבי נעוץ סופן בתחלתן) ויובן זה עד״מ מנפש האדם שבדבור יש הארת והתלבשות השכל ע״י השתלשלות ממחשבה כו׳ והוא רק חיצוניות השכל בלבד מפני שהפנימי׳ א״א לו להתלבש כלל בהשתלשלות והרי אנו רואים שהמשכת הטפה הנולדת ממוח האב הוא מפנימי׳ כח המשכיל
Our explanationThere the root of souls is the inner dimension of Chochmah and the root of angels the outer: angels are born of the spiritual "union of kisses," which follows the chain of descent and conveys only the outer dimension, while souls come from the physical union, where "the end is wedged in the beginning" and the inner dimension is drawn down.
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Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Bereshit vol. 1, 136b; Inyanim, p. 150
Our explanationAccording to the note, it explains there that the angels are taken from the outer dimension of the vessels and therefore have no Torah, while the souls of Israel are taken from the inner dimension of the vessels and therefore have the Torah.
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Kehot’s note
ראה אגה״ק סי׳ כ (קל, א). ביאוה״ז לכ״ק אדהאמ״צ ב, א. צח, ג. לקו״ת שה״ש לט, ד. אוה״ת בראשית א קלו, ב. ענינים ע׳ קנ. ושם מבאר כי המלאכים נלקחים מחיצוניות הכלים ולכך אין להם תורה, אבל נש״י נלקחים מפנימיות הכלים ולכך יש להם תורה ע״ש.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
המלאכים נק׳ בשם חיות ובהמות
How it connects
There the angels are called beasts and animals because they have no free choice and their love and awe are natural to them; therefore the righteous are greater than they.our note
The source
Tanya, Likkutei Amarim 39:1–2תניא, חלק ראשון; ליקוטי אמרים ל״ט:א׳-ב׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה גַם כֵּן, נִקְרָאִים הַמַּלְאָכִים בְּשֵׁם חַיּוֹת וּבְהֵמוֹת, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל הַיָּמִין וְגוֹ׳ וּפְנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאל וְגוֹ׳״, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָם בַּעֲלֵי בְחִירָה, וְיִרְאָתָם וְאַהֲבָתָם הִיא טִבְעִית לָהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּ״רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא״ פָּרָשַׁת פִּנְחָס. וְלָכֵן מַעֲלַת הַצַּדִּיקִים גְּדוֹלָה מֵהֶם, כִּי, מְדוֹר נִשְׁמוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים – הוּא בְּעוֹלַם הַבְּרִיאָה, וּמְדוֹר הַמַּלְאָכִים – בְּעוֹלַם הַיְצִירָה. הגהה וְהַיְינוּ בִּסְתָם מַלְאָכִים, אֲבָל יֵשׁ מַלְאָכִים ﬠֶלְיוֹנִים בְּעוֹלַם הַבְּרִיאָה שֶׁﬠֲבוֹדָתָם בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ שִׂכְלִיִּים, כְּמוֹ …
Hebrew: Kehot Publication Society (CC-BY-NC) · via Sefaria
Where the note points
Tanyaתניא
Part I, beginning of ch. 39
ומפני זה גם כן, נקראים המלאכים בשם חיות ובהמות, כדכתיב: ״ופני אריה אל הימין וגו׳ ופני שור מהשמאל וגו׳״, לפי שאינם בעלי בחירה, ויראתם ואהבתם היא טבעית להם, כמו שכתוב ב״רעיא מהימנא״ פרשת פנחס. ולכן מעלת הצדיקים גדולה מהם, כי, מדור נשמות הצדיקים – הוא בעולם הבריאה, ומדור המלאכים – בעולם היצירה. הגהה והיינו בסתם מלאכים, אבל יש מלאכים ﬠליונים בעולם הבריאה שﬠבודתם בדחילו ורחימו שכליים, כמו שכתוב ב״רﬠיא מהימנא״ שם, שיש שני מיני חיות הקדש: טבﬠיים ושכליים, וכמו שכתוב בﬠץ חיים: וההבדל שביניהם הוא, כי בעולם היצירה, מאירות שם מדותיו של אין סוף ברוך הוא לבדן, שהן אהבתו ופחדו ויראתו כו׳. וכמו שכתוב [בתיקונים ועץ חיים] ״דשית ספירין מקננין ביצירה״. ולכן, זאת היא עבודת המלאכים תמיד, יומם ולילה לא ישקוטו, לעמוד ביראה ופחד וכו׳, והיינו, כל מחנה גבריאל שמהשמאל, …
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Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Tavo, p. 1100
Our explanationA further discussion of why angels are called by the names of animals.
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Kehot’s note
ראה תניא רפל״ט. וראה גם אוה״ת תבא ע׳ תתש.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
3
On the words
פני ארי׳ אל הימין
How it connects
In Ezekiel's vision the holy beasts of the chariot have the face of a lion on the right and an ox on the left; hence angels are called by the names of animals.our note
The source
Ezekiel 1:10יחזקאל א׳:י׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
9חֹבְרֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל־אֲחוֹתָהּ כַּנְפֵיהֶם לֹא־יִסַּבּוּ בְלֶכְתָּן אִישׁ אֶל־עֵבֶר פָּנָיו יֵלֵכוּ: 10וּדְמוּת פְּנֵיהֶם פְּנֵי אָדָם וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל־הַיָּמִין לְאַרְבַּעְתָּם וּפְנֵי־שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאול לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן וּפְנֵי־נֶשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן: 11וּפְנֵיהֶם וְכַנְפֵיהֶם פְּרֻדוֹת מִלְמָעְלָה לְאִישׁ שְׁתַּיִם חֹבְרוֹת אִישׁ וּשְׁתַּיִם מְכַסּוֹת אֵת גְּוִיֹּתֵיהֶנָה:
9… joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 10As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle. 11Thus were their faces; and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
יחזקאל א, י.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
4
On the words
מגוף ונפש ונק׳ חומר וצורה
How it connects
Tanya ch. 40 cites Rabbi Chaim Vital that all angels are composed of matter and form.our note
Where the note points
Tanyaתניא
Part I, ch. 40
אך כל זמן שלא חזר ולמד דבר זה לשמה, אין לימודו עולה אפילו בי׳ ספירות המאירות בעולם היצירה והעשיה, כי הספירות הן בחינת אלהות, ובהן מתלבש ומתייחד אור אין סוף ברוך הוא ממש, ״ובלא דחילו ורחימו לא יכלא לסלקא ולמיקם קדם ה׳״, כמו שכתוב בתיקונים, רק לימודו עולה להיכלות ומדורין שהן חיצוניות העולמות שבהן עומדים המלאכים; וכמו שכתב הרב חיים ויטאל זכרונו לברכה בשער הנבואה פרק ב׳, שמהתורה שלא בכוונה – נבראים מלאכים בעולם היצירה, ומהמצות בלי כוונה – נבראים מלאכים בעולם העשייה, וכל המלאכים, הם בעלי חומר וצורה. אבל תורה שלא לשמה ממש, כגון להיות תלמיד חכם וכהאי גוונא, אינה עולה כלל למעלה אפילו להיכלות ומדור המלאכים דקדושה, אלא נשארת למטה בעולם הזה הגשמי שהוא מדור הקליפות; הגהה כמו שכתוב בזהר חלק ג׳ דף ל״א ﬠמוד ב׳ ודף קכ״א …
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Kehot’s note
ראה תניא פרק מ.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
5
On the words
שגופם רוחני יותר
How it connects
There the Alter Rebbe says that the angels were created with soul and body at once, their body being a garment of their spiritual power, whereas man's soul is from the higher beings and his body from the lower.our note
Where the note points
Maamarei Admur HaZaken — Inyanimמאמרי אדמו״ר הזקן — ענינים
p. 167
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Kehot’s note
ראה במאמרי אדה״ז ענינים ע׳ קסז ”ומה גם שבריאתם בא כאחד נשמתם וגופם בבת א׳ שגופם לבוש הכח הרוחני שבהם, משא״כ האדם נשמתו מן העליונים וגופו מן התחתונים”
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

19וכמ״ש הרמב״ן1 ע״פ עושה מלאכיו רוחות משרתיו אש לוהט2 שמרוחניות שני היסודות אלו אש ורוח3 נעשה גופות המלאכים יש מהן שגויתם מבחי׳ רוח והוא כמו מחנה מיכאל ויש שמבחי׳ אש וכמו מחנה גבריאל4 כו׳.

As the Ramban writes on the verse "He makes His angels winds, His ministers a flaming fire": the bodies of the angels are made from the spirituality of these two elements, fire and air; some have bodies of the level of air, such as the camp of Michael, and some of the level of fire, such as the camp of Gavriel, etc.

Explanation

The Ramban explains "He makes His angels winds, His ministers a flaming fire" (Psalms 104:4) to mean that angels' bodies are made of the spiritual essence of two elements, fire and air (ruach, also "wind"). The camp of Michael is of air, that of Gavriel of fire.

משא״כ גופות בנ״א הם מגשמיות ד׳ יסודות ארמ״ע. אמנם הסבה לזה למה נתנו להם גופות רוחניות מלישראל.

Whereas the bodies of human beings are of the physicality of the four elements: fire, air, water and earth. But the reason for this — why they were given bodies more spiritual than Israel —

Explanation

Human bodies, by contrast, are made of all four physical elements: fire, air, water and earth. Why, then, did the angels receive more spiritual bodies than the Jewish people, who are higher?

כי הנה תכלית הירידה5 בהשתלשלות העולמות הוא רק כמ״ש ולכבודי בראתיו6 כו׳ דהיינו להיות ביטול היש

is that the purpose of the descent in the chain of the worlds is only as it is written, "And for My glory I created him…," namely, that there be the nullification of the "something."

Explanation

The answer starts from the purpose of the whole descent of the worlds, "For My glory I created him" (Isaiah 43:7): that the "something" (yesh) — creation's sense of being a separate existence — be nullified before G‑d.

וזהו עיקר ענין עולם התקון יחוד והתכללות אורות וכלים שהן דרך כלל בחי׳ אין ויש

And this is the essential point of the World of Tikkun (rectification): the union and inclusion of lights and vessels, which are, in general, the levels of "nothing" and "something."

Explanation

That is the core of the World of Tikkun (rectification): lights and vessels are united and blended together. The lights are "nothing" (ayin), selfless; the vessels are "something," defined and distinct.

כי האורות הן בחי׳ הארו׳ והמשכות א״ס ב״ה והן בבחי׳ ביטול והכלים הם בחי׳ יש חו״ב חו״ג.7 8

For the lights are the level of the illuminations and emanations of the Infinite One, blessed be He, and they are in a state of self-nullification; and the vessels are the level of "something": Chochmah and Binah, Chesed and Gevurah.

Explanation

The lights are rays of the Infinite One and remain wholly nullified; the vessels are the defined Sefiros — Chochmah and Binah, Chesed and Gevurah — each with its own distinct character.

Paragraph 19 in brief

Angelic and human bodies are contrasted, and the purpose of creation is introduced: the nullification of 'something' before 'nothing,' the union of lights and vessels that defines the World of Tikkun.

Deeper

Tanya ch. 39 places the camp of Michael on the right (love) and the camp of Gavriel on the left (fear). The Tzemach Tzedek (quoted in the Kehot notes) suggests that when the Rambam calls angels "form without matter," he means without the matter of Asiyah, but not without spiritual matter.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
וכמ״ש הרמב״ן
How it connects
The source of the Ramban's statement that the angels' bodies are made of the spiritual elements of fire and air.our note
Where the note points
Shaar HaGemul, by the Ramban (Nachmanides)שער הגמול
end of the work
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Commentary on Maimonides' Mishneh Torahהפירוש על הרמב״ם
Laws of Repentance, ch. 8
Our explanationAccording to the note, the Ramban's statement is also quoted in the commentary on the Rambam there.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Bereshit vol. 3, 556b
Our explanationA further discussion of the Ramban's view of angelic bodies.
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Derech Mitzvosecha, by the Tzemach Tzedekדרך מצותיך
61b
Our explanationA further discussion of the Ramban's view of angelic bodies.
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Sefer HaMaamarim 5643ספר המאמרים תרמ״ג
p. 71
Our explanationA later discourse that cites this statement of the Ramban.
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Kehot’s note
בסוף שער הגמול. מובא גם בהפירוש על הרמב״ם פ״ח מהל׳ תשובה. ראה אוה״ת בראשית כרך ג תקנו, ב. דרך מצותיך סא, ב. סה״מ תרמ״ג ע׳ עא.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
עושה מלאכיו רוחות משרתיו אש לוהט
How it connects
"He makes His angels winds, His ministers a flaming fire." Following the Ramban, the Alter Rebbe reads it as describing angelic bodies made of spiritual air and fire.our note
The source
Psalms 104:4תהילים ק״ד:ד׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
3הַמְקָרֶה בַמַּיִם עֲלִיּוֹתָיו הַשָּׂם־עָבִים רְכוּבוֹ הַמְהַלֵּךְ עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רוּחַ: 4עֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת מְשָׁרְתָיו אֵשׁ לֹהֵט: 5יָסַד־אֶרֶץ עַל־מְכוֹנֶיהָ בַּל־תִּמּוֹט עוֹלָם וָעֶד:
3… the waters, who makest the clouds Thy chariot, who walkest upon the wings of the wind; 4Who makest winds Thy messengers, the flaming fire Thy ministers. 5Who didst establish the earth upon its foundations, that it should not be moved for ever and ever;
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
3
On the words
שמרוחניות שני היסודות אלו אש ורוח
How it connects
There the angels' bodies are described as made "from the simple element of air and the simple element of fire."our note
Where the note points
Likkutei Torahלקוטי תורה
Berachah 98a
המשכן מכפר על מעשה העגל שלכן היה זהב במשכן לכפר על הזהב שבעגל ולכן אמר דוד על בנין בהמ״ק מזמור שיר חנוכת הבית כו ולא שמחת אויבי לי הם המלאכים שקטרגו והיינו שבנין בהמ״ק הוא ענין אחד עם מעשה המשכן (וכה״ג הביא בספר ערכי הכינויים שחיבר בעה״מ סדר הדורות בערך אויב ועיין בגמרא בקדושין) (דף ע״ב) מאי את אויבים בשער כו׳ ועיין בבראשית רבה פנ״ד. ולהבין ענין קטרוג הזה של המלאכים שאמרו מה אנוש כו׳ שאמרו המלאכים שהמה במדרגה עליונה יותר מן האדם. והתשובה היתה שהאדם הוא יותר נעלה. ולביאור זה צריך להבין ענין מלאכים ונשמות כי הנה מצינו שהמלאכים אומרים שירה ולא מצינו כן בנשמות ובאמת גם הנשמות אומרים שירה תמיד שהרי יש להם עליות וירידות תמיד מחיל אל חיל וכמ״ש והיה מדי חודש בחדשו כו׳ ואח״כ חוזרים לג״ע …
“A psalm, a song for the dedication of the House…,” and “You did not let my enemies rejoice over me.” Now, at the time of the creation of man, the ministering angels brought an accusation before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said, “What is man, that You should remember him?” as is written in Midrash Rabbah on Bereishis, section 8. Afterwards, at the time of the giving of the Torah, when
Read it here
Sefer HaMaamarim 5638, by the Rebbe Maharashספר המאמרים תרל״ח
Hemshech "Chayav adam levarech", ch. 11, p. 113
Our explanationA discussion of the spiritual elements of the angels' bodies.
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Kehot’s note
ראה בלקו״ת ברכה צח, א ”מיסוד הרוח הפשוט ומיסוד האש הפשוט”. וראה גם בהמשך חייב אדם לברך פרק יא נדפס בסה״מ תרל״ח ע׳ קיג.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
4
On the words
מחנה מיכאל . . מחנה גבריאל
How it connects
Cited in the Kehot notes for the camps of Michael and Gavriel.our note
The source
Zohar III, 118bזח״ג קיח, בSefaria (opens in a new tab)
Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 70 · 123a:1תקו״ז תיקון עSefaria (opens in a new tab)
… אֵ"ל אַחֲזֵי עַל אֱלָהוּ"ת דְּעִלַּת עַל כָּל הָעִלּוֹת, וַעֲלֵיהּ אָמַר אִיוֹב (איוב ה ח) אֲנִי אֶדְרוֹשׁ אֶל אֵ"ל, אֶל אלה"י הָאלקי"ם, וְכַד רָכִיב עַל אֵ"ל אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעִין לֵקהּ כָּל אלקי"ם, וּמִזְדַּעִִזְעִין מִנֵּיהּ, וְכָל מַלְאָכַיָּא דְאִתְקְרִיאוּ בְּהַאי אֵ"ל כְּגוֹן מִיכָאֵ"ל גַּבְרִיאֵ"ל, כֻּלְּהוּ מִזְדַּעִִזְעִין מֵהַאי אֵ"ל דְּאִיהוּ אלה"י הָאלקי"ם, וּמָאן דְּקָרָא לוֹן בֵּקהּ, מִיָּד עוֹנִין לֵקהּ בְּכָל שַׁעִִתָּא, וְהָכִי כָּל מַלְאָכַיָּא דְאִתְקְרִיאוּ קָלִין בִּשְׁמָא דְיהו"ה, כָּל מָאן דְּקָרָא לוֹן בְּיהו"ה בְּעִלַּת עַל כָּל הָעִלּוֹת מִיָּד עוֹנִין לֵקהּ בְּקָלֵיהּ, דְּעִלַּת עַל כָּל …
Hebrew: Tikkunei Zohar - Vocalized (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
ראה זח״ג קיח, ב. ת״ז תי׳ ע.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
5
On the words
כי הנה תכלית הירידה
How it connects
A passage beginning here is quoted there.our note
Where the note points
Sefer HaMaamarim 5633, by the Rebbe Maharashספר המאמרים תרל״ג
vol. 1, p. 474
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
קטע מכאן מובא בסה״מ תרל״ג כרך א ע׳ עדר.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
6
On the words
ולכבודי בראתיו
How it connects
"Everyone called by My Name, and for My glory I created him." The Alter Rebbe reads G‑d's "glory" as the nullification of created existence before Him.our note
The source
Isaiah 43:7ישעיהו מ״ג:ז׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
6אֹמַר לַצָּפוֹן תֵּנִי וּלְתֵימָן אַל־תִּכְלָאִי הָבִיאִי בָנַי מֵרָחוֹק וּבְנוֹתַי מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ: 7כֹּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְלִכְבוֹדִי בְּרָאתִיו יְצַרְתִּיו אַף־עֲשִׂיתִיו: 8הוֹצִיא עַם־עִוֵּר וְעֵינַיִם יֵשׁ וְחֵרְשִׁים וְאׇזְנַיִם לָמוֹ:
6… not back, bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the end of the earth; 7Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.’ 8The blind people that have eyes shall be brought forth, and the deaf that have ears.
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
ישעי׳ מג, ז.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
7
On the words
והכלים הם בחי׳ יש חו״ב חו״ג
How it connects
An explanation there of what is said here, that the vessels are the level of "something": Chochmah and Binah, Chesed and Gevurah.our note
Where the note points
Sefer HaMaamarim 5633, by the Rebbe Maharashספר המאמרים תרל״ג
vol. 1, p. 474
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
ראה בסה״מ תרל״ג כרך א ע׳ עדר ביאור בענין מה שמבואר כאן דהכלים דבי״ע הם בחי׳ יש חו״ב חו״ג. ע״ש.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
8
On the words
בד״ה פדה בשלום עזר״ת ע׳ צט כתב וז״ל
How it connects
It writes there: it seems that when the Rambam says the angels are form without matter, he means not the matter of Asiyah but spiritual matter.our note
Where the note points
The discourse "Podeh veshalom"ד״ה פדה בשלום
עזר"ת, p. 99
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Likkutei Torahלקוטי תורה
Berachah 98a, and several other places
המשכן מכפר על מעשה העגל שלכן היה זהב במשכן לכפר על הזהב שבעגל ולכן אמר דוד על בנין בהמ״ק מזמור שיר חנוכת הבית כו ולא שמחת אויבי לי הם המלאכים שקטרגו והיינו שבנין בהמ״ק הוא ענין אחד עם מעשה המשכן (וכה״ג הביא בספר ערכי הכינויים שחיבר בעה״מ סדר הדורות בערך אויב ועיין בגמרא בקדושין) (דף ע״ב) מאי את אויבים בשער כו׳ ועיין בבראשית רבה פנ״ד. ולהבין ענין קטרוג הזה של המלאכים שאמרו מה אנוש כו׳ שאמרו המלאכים שהמה במדרגה עליונה יותר מן האדם. והתשובה היתה שהאדם הוא יותר נעלה. ולביאור זה צריך להבין ענין מלאכים ונשמות כי הנה מצינו שהמלאכים אומרים שירה ולא מצינו כן בנשמות ובאמת גם הנשמות אומרים שירה תמיד שהרי יש להם עליות וירידות תמיד מחיל אל חיל וכמ״ש והיה מדי חודש בחדשו כו׳ ואח״כ חוזרים לג״ע …
“A psalm, a song for the dedication of the House…,” and “You did not let my enemies rejoice over me.” Now, at the time of the creation of man, the ministering angels brought an accusation before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said, “What is man, that You should remember him?” as is written in Midrash Rabbah on Bereishis, section 8. Afterwards, at the time of the giving of the Torah, when
Our explanationThe same point about angelic bodies is brought there, in a discussion of the angels' claim to be higher than man ("What is man…") and the difference between angels and souls.
Read it here
Likkutei Sichos, by the Rebbe (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson)לקוטי שיחות
vol. 9, p. 405
Our explanationThe Rebbe discusses this question of angelic matter there.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Maamarei Admur HaEmtzai, by the Mitteler Rebbeמאמרי אדמו״ר האמצעי
Bereshit, p. 112
Our explanationThe sources listed there on this question.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Sefer HaMaamarim 5640, by the Rebbe Maharashספר המאמרים תר״ם
part 1, p. 292, note 18
Our explanationA note there on the same question.
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Kehot’s note
ונ׳ דכוונת הרמב״ם מ״ש שהן צורה בלא גולם היינו לא גולם דעשי׳ אלא גולם רוחני, עכ״ל ע״ש.
מובא גם בלקו״ת ברכה צח, א ובעוד כמה מקומות. וראה בלקו״ש ח״ט ע׳ 405. ובהנסמן במאמרי אדה״א בראשית ע׳ קיב. סה״מ תר״ם ח״א ע׳ רצב הע׳ 18.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

20והנה בעולם התהו לא יכלו הכלים להכיל את האורות דהיינו שלא הי׳ היש נכלל ובטל אל

Now in the World of Tohu (chaos) the vessels could not contain the lights; that is, the "something" was not included and nullified into

Explanation

In the World of Tohu ("chaos"), the stage before the ordered world, the vessels could not hold the lights: the "something" did not merge into the "nothing."

האין ועיקר ענין התקון הוא להיות התכללות האורות עם הכלים וכן להיות התכללות חו״ג שמאלא וימינא כו׳ שהוא בחי׳ ביטול היש לאין.

the "nothing." And the essential point of Tikkun is that there be the inclusion of the lights with the vessels, and likewise the inclusion of Chesed and Gevurah, left and right, etc., which is the nullification of the "something" to the "nothing."

Explanation

Tikkun means that lights and vessels are blended, and that the opposing attributes, Chesed (right) and Gevurah (left), include one another; this integration is itself the nullification of "something" to "nothing."

Paragraph 20 in brief

Tohu is the failure of vessels to contain lights; Tikkun is their integration, which is the essence of self-nullification.

Deeper

In the Arizal's teaching, the vessels of Tohu shattered because each Sefirah stood alone without including the others; in Tikkun the Sefiros are interincluded, which the Alter Rebbe identifies with bittul.

21וגם המלאכים יש להם עבודה זו לבטל היש והגוף שלהם ע״י נשמתם שהיא מבחי׳ אין ונלקחה מחיצוניות הכלים.

The angels too have this service: to nullify the "something," their body, through their soul, which is of the level of "nothing" and was taken from the outer dimension of the vessels.

Explanation

The angels too serve by nullifying their "something," their body, through their soul, which is "nothing"; but their soul comes from the outer dimension of the vessels.

וכן גם ישראל צריכין לבטל היש שהוא הגוף הגשמי שלהם ע״י נפשם האלקית שהיא בעצמה א״צ תקון לפי שהיא בבחי׳ אין כו׳ ונלקח׳ מפנימי׳ הכלי׳ הגבה למעל׳ ממקור מחצב נפשות המלאכים.

And so too Israel must nullify the "something," which is their physical body, through their G-dly soul, which in itself needs no rectification, since it is in a state of "nothing," etc., and was taken from the inner dimension of the vessels, higher than the quarry from which the souls of the angels were hewn.

Explanation

The Jewish people likewise must nullify their physical body through the G-dly soul, which needs no rectification itself; it comes from the inner dimension of the vessels, a source higher than that of the angels' souls.

Paragraph 21 in brief

Angels and Jewish souls alike work to nullify their bodies; the Jewish soul, from the inner dimension of the vessels, is higher than the angels' souls.

22ולכך יכולה להפוך ולכבש1 גם גוף גשמי משא״כ המלאכי׳ אילו היה להם גוף גשמי לא היו יכולים להפכו כלל ולהיות בביטול היש אלא היו נופלים ממדרגתם לגמרי.

Therefore it can transform and subdue even a physical body; whereas the angels, had they a physical body, could not transform it at all and bring it to the nullification of the "something"; rather, they would fall from their level entirely.

Explanation

Because the G-dly soul is rooted so high, it can transform and master even a coarse physical body. An angel placed in a physical body could not refine it; it would simply be dragged down from its level.

רק נשמות האדם דוקא מצד מעלת נשמתם עלו במחשב׳2 כו׳ יכולים להפוך גם גוף גשמי.

Only the souls of man specifically, by virtue of the loftiness of their soul — they "arose in [G‑d's] thought," etc. — can transform even a physical body.

Explanation

Only human souls, which "arose in G‑d's thought" before creation (Bereshit Rabbah 1:4), have the power to transform physical matter.

Paragraph 22 in brief

This answers why angels have more spiritual bodies: only the loftiest souls can bear and transform a coarse physical body.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
שו״ה ולכבש
How it connects
A spelling variant: "ולכבוש" in place of "ולכבש" ("and to subdue"); the meaning is unchanged.our note
Where the note points
Glosses of Rabbi Asherהגהות ר׳ אשר
on this line
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
בהגהת הרה״ח ר׳ אשר: ולכבוש.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
עלו במחשב׳
How it connects
The Midrash lists things that preceded the creation of the world, among them that Israel "arose in [G‑d's] thought." The Alter Rebbe uses it for the lofty root of the souls.our note
The source
Bereshit Rabbah 1:4בראשית רבה א׳:ד׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.

23וכמשל מדורת אש גדולה שמאירה למרחוק יותר מקטנה כו׳. ונמצא מובן עכ״פ שגוף ונפש של המלאכים הן קרובים בערך זל״ז ונתהוו כאחד ממש ממקורם היא בחי׳ מל׳ דאצי׳

It is like the analogy of a large bonfire, which shines farther than a small one, etc. It is understood, in any case, that the body and soul of the angels are close in rank to each other and came into being truly as one from their source, which is the level of Malchus of Atzilus,

Explanation

As a large fire lights up farther, a greater soul reaches further down. Angels' bodies and souls, being close in rank, came into being as one from their source, Malchus of Atzilus.

שהיא אם כל חי1 דבי״ע שע״ז נאמר תוצא הארץ נפש חיה2 פי׳ ארץ העליונה שהיא המל׳ תוצא נפש כל חיה הם המלאכים שנק׳ חיות ויצאו ביחד גופם עם נשמתם

which is "the mother of all life" of [the worlds of] Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. Of this it is said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures": meaning, the supernal earth, which is Malchus, shall bring forth the soul of every living being — these are the angels, who are called "beasts" — and their bodies came forth together with their souls,

Explanation

Malchus of Atzilus is "the mother of all life" for the three lower worlds, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. "Let the earth bring forth living creatures" is read on this level: the "supernal earth," Malchus, brings forth the angels, called "beasts," body and soul together.

כי הגוף שהוא בחי׳ צומח3 הוא אצל וסמוך לבחי׳ החי כנ״ל שהצומח הי׳ כלול בחי בבחי׳ עבור כו׳:

for the body, which is the level of the vegetative, is beside and adjacent to the level of the animal, as said above, that the vegetative was contained in the animal in a state of gestation, etc.

Explanation

Their bodies are of the vegetative level, adjacent to the animal level of their souls, since the vegetative was first contained in the animal as in gestation.

Paragraph 23 in brief

Angels, like animals, came forth body and soul together from Malchus of Atzilus, because their bodies and souls belong to adjacent levels.

Deeper

The Tzemach Tzedek (Or HaTorah, quoted in the Kehot notes) raises a question here: the angels' bodies are of fire and air, which are not the vegetative level either.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
אם כל חי
How it connects
The phrase said of Chavah is applied to Malchus of Atzilus as the source of all life in the lower worlds.our note
The source
Genesis 3:20בראשית ג׳:כ׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
19בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ תֹּאכַל לֶחֶם עַד שׁוּבְךָ אֶל־הָאֲדָמָה כִּי מִמֶּנָּה לֻקָּחְתָּ כִּי־עָפָר אַתָּה וְאֶל־עָפָר תָּשׁוּב: 20וַיִּקְרָא הָאָדָם שֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ חַוָּה כִּי הִוא הָיְתָה אֵם כׇּל־חָי: 21וַיַּעַשׂ ה׳ אֱלֹקִים לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ כׇּתְנוֹת עוֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם:
19… out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.’ 20And the man called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
2
On the words
תוצא הארץ נפש חי׳
How it connects
Read here on a higher plane: the "supernal earth," Malchus of Atzilus, brings forth the angels, who are called "beasts."our note
The source
Genesis 1:24בראשית א׳:כ״דSefaria (opens in a new tab)
23וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי: 24וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ בְּהֵמָה וָרֶמֶשׂ וְחַיְתוֹ־אֶרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וַיְהִי־כֵן: 25וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה לְמִינָהּ וְאֵת כׇּל־רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים כִּי־טוֹב:
23And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. 24And God said: ‘Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind.’ And it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth after its kind, and the cattle after their …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
בראשית א, כד.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
3
On the words
הם המלאכים שנק׳ חיות . . כי הגוף שהוא בחי׳ צומח
How it connects
The Tzemach Tzedek asks there: are not the angels' bodies of fire and air, which are also not the vegetative level?our note
Where the note points
Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Bereshit vol. 6, discourse "Lehavin hataam shenishtanah yetziras guf haadam", section 5 (from Likkutei Torah L'Gimmel Parshiyos 25b)
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Tavo, p. 1100
Our explanationA further discussion of angels being called "beasts."
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Kehot’s note
באוה״ת פ׳ בראשית כרך ו בד״ה להבין הטעם שנשתנה יצירת גוף האדם סעי׳ ה (מלקו״ת לג״פ כה, ב) שלכאורה צ״ל הלא גוף המלאכים הם מבחי׳ אש ורוח שהם ג״כ אינם בחי׳ צומח. ראה גם אוה״ת תבא ע׳ תתש.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

Malchus and the letters come from a higher source ¶24–29

24וכמו״כ יובן גם למעלה יותר בחיון עלאין שהם האבות שהן הן המרכבה1 והיינו בבחי׳ אצי׳ והיו כלולים מתחלה ג״כ בבטן אימא עלאה בחי׳ עבור ואח״כ יצאו לגילוי.

And so too it will be understood even higher, regarding the supernal beasts, which are the Patriarchs — "they are the Chariot" — that is, on the level of Atzilus: they too were at first contained in the womb of the supernal Imma, in a state of gestation, and afterward came out into revelation.

Explanation

The same pattern holds higher, in Atzilus: the "supernal beasts" of the divine Chariot are the Patriarchs, that is, the divine emotions that Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov embodied. These emotions first gestated within the supernal Imma (Binah) and then emerged.

ואז הם בבחי׳ יניקה כו׳ והיינו ענין צומח וחי הסמוכים זה לזה שנמשכים זמ״ז בדרך השתלשלות עו״ע כו׳.

And then they are in the state of nursing, etc. And this is the matter of the vegetative and the animal, which are adjacent to each other, being drawn from one another by way of a chain of cause and effect, etc.

Explanation

After emerging they "nurse" from the intellect. This is the adjacent vegetative–animal relationship: each level flows from the one above by cause and effect.

משא״כ בחי׳ הדומם שהיא בחי׳ המל׳ היא מובדלת בערך מהם ואינה נמשכת בבחי׳ השתלשלות עו״ע כדרך המשכת המדות מהשכל.

But the level of the inanimate, which is the level of Malchus, is separated in rank from them and is not drawn by way of a chain of cause and effect, in the way the emotive attributes are drawn from the intellect.

Explanation

Malchus, the "inanimate," is different: it is not simply an effect of the level above, as the emotions are an effect of understanding.

כי מן החכמה ולמטה הוא בחי׳ השתלשלות עו״ע חכ׳ ואח״כ בינה ואח״כ דעת עד שאח״כ נמשכים המדות כו׳

For from Chochmah downward it is a chain of cause and effect: Chochmah, and afterward Binah, and afterward Daas, until afterward the emotive attributes are drawn, etc.,

Explanation

From Chochmah downward the Sefiros form a causal chain: Chochmah produces Binah, then Daas, and these produce the emotions.

עד בחי׳ המל׳ ולא עד בכלל כי התהוות המל׳ שהיא בחי׳ אותיות דבר ה׳ אינן מסוג וערך הבחינה שלמעלה ממנה עד שיתכן לומר שתהא

down to the level of Malchus, but not including it. For as to the coming into being of Malchus, which is the level of the letters of the word of G‑d — they are not of the kind and rank of the level above it, that it could be said that it is

Explanation

But the chain stops short of Malchus. Malchus is the "letters" of G‑d's word, His speech, and letters are not the same kind of thing as the level above them,

נמשכת בדרך עו״ע וכמשל האותיות הגשמיים שאינן מערך המדות והשכל כו׳ אלא שהתהוותן הוא מלמעלה יותר והיינו מעצמיות הנפש שקבועים בה כ״ב אותיות אלו.

drawn by way of cause and effect. It is like the analogy of the physical letters, which are not of the rank of the emotive attributes and the intellect, etc.; rather, their coming into being is from higher up, namely, from the very essence of the soul, in which these twenty-two letters are fixed.

Explanation

just as human letters are not a product of one's feelings or ideas. They come from something higher, the very essence of the soul, in which the twenty-two letters are inherently fixed.

כי הגם דאחה״ע מהגרון2 כו׳ היינו שהם באים ומתלבשים במוצאות אלו אבל שרשם בנפש כידוע ומבואר באגה״ק ע״פ ויעש דוד שם.3 4

For although the letters Alef, Ches, Hei, Ayin are from the throat, etc., this means that they come and are vested in these points of articulation; but their root is in the soul, as is known and explained in Iggeres HaKodesh on the verse "And David made a name," see there.

Explanation

The throat letters (Alef, Ches, Hei, Ayin) and the other groups are only expressed through the organs of speech; their root is in the soul itself, as explained in Iggeres HaKodesh, Epistle 5.

Paragraph 24 in brief

Among the Sefiros the emotions descend from the intellect by cause and effect, but Malchus, the 'letters,' comes from a higher source — just as human letters are rooted in the soul's essence rather than in thought or feeling.

Deeper

Sefer Yetzirah divides the letters by their five points of articulation, beginning with the throat letters. The Rebbe's corrections to Tanya note that the correct order is אחה"ע, not אהח"ע.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
האבות שהן הן המרכבה
How it connects
The Midrash states that "the Patriarchs are the Chariot," vehicles for G‑d's presence. The Alter Rebbe applies it to the emotive attributes of Atzilus, the "supernal beasts."our note
The source
Bereshit Rabbah 47:6בראשית רבה מ״ז:ו׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
ויכל לדבר אתו - תני, הנפטר מחבירו בין גדול בין קטן, צריך ליטול ממנו רשות. ממי את למד? מאברהם. פעם אחת היה אברהם מדבר עם הקב"ה, באו מלאכי השרת לדבר עמו. אמר להן: נפטר מן השכינה, שהיא גדולה מכם תחלה, אחר כך אני מדבר עמכם. כיון שדבר עם הקדוש ברוך הוא כל צרכו, אמר לפניו: רבון העולמים! צריך אני לדבר. אמר לו: הפטר בשלום, הה"ד: ויעל אלקים מעל אברהם. אמר ריש לקיש: האבות הן הן המרכבה, שנא': ויעל אלקים מעל אברהם. ויעל מעליו אלקים. (בראשית כה) והנה ה' נצב עליו:
“He concluded speaking with him, and God ascended from upon Abraham” (Genesis 17:22). It is taught: One who departs from another person, whether of greater or lesser stature, must take his leave from him. From whom do you derive this? From Abraham. On one occasion, Abraham was speaking with the Holy One blessed be He, when the ministering angels came to speak with him. He said to them: ‘Let me first take my leave from the Divine Presence, which is of greater stature than you, then I will speak with you.’ When he finished saying to the Holy One blessed be He all that he needed [to say], he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I must speak [with the angels].’ He said: ‘You may leave in …
Hebrew: Daat Bereshit Rabbah (Public Domain) · English: The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah, 2022 (CC-BY) · via Sefaria
Zohar I, 210bזח״א רי, בSefaria (opens in a new tab)
Zohar III, 182aזח״ג קפב, אSefaria (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
ב״ר פמ״ז, ו. זח״א רי, ב. זח״ג קפב, א.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
דאחה״ע מהגרון
How it connects
The Rebbe notes there that the correct order is אחה"ע, not אהח"ע, and suggests this may be explained by Zohar 3:123a.our note
Where the note points
Notes and corrections to Tanya (by the Rebbe)הערות ותיקונים לתניא
107b
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
ס״י פ״ב מ״א.
ראה הערות ותיקונים לתניא (קז, ב): אחה״ע, לא אהח״ע. וי״ל עפמש״כ בזח״ג קכג, א.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
3
On the words
באגה״ק ע״פ ויעש דוד שם
How it connects
The epistle on "And David made a name" explains that the letters of speech are rooted in the soul itself and only expressed through the five organs of speech.our note
The source
Tanya, Iggeres HaKodesh 5:1תניא, אגרת הקדש ה׳:א׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
וַיַּעַשׂ דָּוִד שֵׁם. וּפֵירֵשׁ בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְהִי דָוִד עוֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה לְכָל עַמּוֹ כוּ׳״, ״בָּכָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר: מַאן עָבִיד שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּכָל יוֹמָא מַאן דְּיָהִיב צְדָקָה לְמִסְכְּנֵי כוּ׳״.
Hebrew: Kehot Publication Society (CC-BY-NC) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
4
On the words
ויעש דוד שם
How it connects
The verse that opens Iggeres HaKodesh, Epistle 5, to which the Alter Rebbe refers.our note
The source
II Samuel 8:13שמואל ב ח׳:י״גSefaria (opens in a new tab)
12מֵאֲרָם וּמִמּוֹאָב וּמִבְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וּמִפְּלִשְׁתִּים וּמֵעֲמָלֵק וּמִשְּׁלַל הֲדַדְעֶזֶר בֶּן־רְחֹב מֶלֶךְ צוֹבָה: 13וַיַּעַשׂ דָּוִד שֵׁם בְּשֻׁבוֹ מֵהַכּוֹתוֹ אֶת־אֲרָם בְּגֵיא־מֶלַח שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר אָלֶף: 14וַיָּשֶׂם בֶּאֱדוֹם נְצִבִים בְּכׇל־אֱדוֹם שָׂם נְצִבִים וַיְהִי כׇל־אֱדוֹם עֲבָדִים לְדָוִד וַיּוֹשַׁע ה׳ אֶת־דָּוִד בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר הָלָךְ:
12… Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13And David got him a name when he returned from smiting the Arameans in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men. 14And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.

25ולכן אותיות שוים יכולים להורות על ב׳ שכליים הפכים רק בשינוי הצרופים בהקדמת ואיחור אות זה מזה

Therefore the same letters can express two opposite concepts, merely through a change in their combinations, by placing one letter before or after another,

Explanation

Proof that the letters are not tied to ideas: the same letters can express opposite ideas merely by being rearranged.

אע״פ שהן הן אותן האותיות ממש ויהיה שינוי גדול בההשכלה מהפוך להפוך כמו מאש למים שזהו חסד וזהו גבורה כו׳.

although they are the very same letters, and there will be a great change in the concept, from one extreme to its opposite, as from fire to water — this is Chesed and this is Gevurah, etc.

Explanation

The same letters, reordered, can yield concepts as opposite as fire and water, one expressing kindness (Chesed) and the other severity (Gevurah).

Paragraph 25 in brief

The letters' independence from meaning is shown by how the same letters can form opposite concepts.

26והטעם מפני שבאמת גוף ועצם האותיות אין להם שייכות למהות השכל כלל עד שיתכן לומר שאותיות אלו שייכים לשכל זה דוקא ולשכל שכנגדו יצטרכו אותיות אחרים כדרך

The reason is that in truth the body and substance of the letters have no connection at all to the essence of the intellect, such that one could say that these letters belong specifically to this concept, and that for the opposite concept other letters would be needed, as is the case

Explanation

The reason: the letters themselves have no inherent connection to any particular idea, so no idea "owns" certain letters.

שהוא במדות שיש שכל נוטה כלפי חסד ואינו נוטה כלפי גבורה ויש שכל נוטה כלפי גבורה כו׳ לפי שהן נמשכים בבחי׳ השתלשלות עו״ע כו׳.

with the emotive attributes, where there is a concept that inclines toward Chesed and does not incline toward Gevurah, and there is a concept that inclines toward Gevurah, etc., because they are drawn by way of a chain of cause and effect, etc.

Explanation

Emotions are different: a given line of reasoning naturally leads toward kindness or toward severity, because emotions flow from ideas by cause and effect.

Paragraph 26 in brief

Emotions are bound to the ideas that produce them; letters are not.

27וכמו״כ למעלה התהוות האותיות אינו בהשתלשלות עו״ע. וכמו שהמדות נמשכים מבינה כי אינם מערך זה כו׳.

So too above, the coming into being of the letters is not by way of a chain of cause and effect, [as] the emotive attributes are drawn from Binah, for they are not of this rank, etc.

Explanation

Above too, Malchus (the "letters") does not come into being as a link in the causal chain, the way the emotions come from Binah; it is not of that category.

אבל מ״מ לזאת הנה יש בהם מעלה יתירה שהתהוות׳ הוא ממקו׳ יותר עליון שמשם דוקא הוא שיכול להיות השפלה זו להיות התהוות מדת המל׳.

But nevertheless, for this very reason, they have an added superiority: their coming into being is from a higher place, for only from there can there be this lowering — the coming into being of the attribute of Malchus.

Explanation

Yet this very independence is a virtue: it comes from a higher source, and only a higher source could produce such a "lowering" as Malchus, the attribute through which the worlds are created.

Paragraph 27 in brief

Malchus is not a product of the chain of Sefiros; paradoxically, it comes from a higher source, which alone can descend so low.

28והוא מ״ש בחכמה יסד ארץ1 כונן שמים בתבונה שבחי׳ ארץ נמשכת מהחכמה דוקא שהיא למעלה משכל המושג הנק׳ תבונה שבו כונן שמים שהם המדות.

And this is what is written, "With Chochmah He founded the earth; He established the heavens with Tevunah": the level of "earth" is drawn specifically from Chochmah, which is above the comprehended intellect called Tevunah, with which He established the heavens, which are the emotive attributes.

Explanation

This is the meaning of Proverbs 3:19: "earth" (Malchus) comes from Chochmah, which is above comprehensible intellect (Tevunah, Binah), while the "heavens" (the emotions) come from Tevunah.

אע״פ דגם המדות נמשכים מחכ׳ היינו ששם הוא מקורם אבל עיקר התהוותם להיות בהתחלקות כמו שהן עתה הוא מן התבונה.

Although the emotive attributes too are drawn from Chochmah, this means that their source is there; but the main part of their coming into being, to be differentiated as they are now, is from Tevunah.

Explanation

The emotions are rooted in Chochmah too, but their actual formation as distinct attributes comes from Tevunah.

כי החכמה נק׳ יו״ד שהיא למעלה מהתחלקות עדיין כנקודה שהיא בלתי מתחלקת כידוע והשפעת המדות משם הוא ג״כ בבחי׳ כללות והוא כדמיון חלק הבן שמהאב נמשך טפה א׳ לבד רק שהיא כוללת כל גופו

For Chochmah is called Yud, which is still above differentiation, like a point, which is indivisible, as is known; and the flow of the emotive attributes from there is also in an all-inclusive form. It is like the analogy of the son's share: from the father only a single drop is drawn, yet it includes his whole body;

Explanation

Chochmah is symbolized by the Yud, a mere point, undivided. Whatever it gives the emotions is compressed and general, like the father's single drop, which contains the whole future child in potential.

אבל עיקר בנינו בגידול אבריו להיות בציור פרצוף אדם בהתחלקות האברים הוא מהאם ע״י עבור בבטן האם.

but the main part of his building, in the growth of his limbs into the form of a human figure with differentiated limbs, is from the mother, through gestation in the mother's womb.

Explanation

The development into a formed body with distinct limbs comes from the mother, during gestation; likewise Binah develops the emotions into distinct attributes.

Paragraph 28 in brief

Chochmah is the undifferentiated source, like the father's seed; Binah develops the emotions into their distinct form, like the mother's womb; but the 'earth,' Malchus, comes from Chochmah.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
בחכמה יסד ארץ
How it connects
The earth (Malchus) is founded with Chochmah and the heavens (the emotions) with Tevunah; the Alter Rebbe now explains why.our note
The source
Proverbs 3:19משלי ג׳:י״טSefaria (opens in a new tab)
18עֵץ־חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר: 19ה׳ בְּחׇכְמָה יָסַד־אָרֶץ כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה: 20בְּדַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמוֹת נִבְקָעוּ וּשְׁחָקִים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָל:
18… to them that lay hold upon her, And happy is every one that holdest her fast. 19The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens. 20By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
משלי ג, יט.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

29וכך הוא ית׳ כונן שמים שיהיו המדות מתכוננים היטב כפי שצ״ל בבחי׳ פרצוף הוא בתבונה דוקא

And so He, blessed be He, "established the heavens" — that the emotive attributes be well established as they should be, in the form of a complete configuration (partzuf) — specifically "with Tevunah."

Explanation

So "establishing the heavens" — shaping the emotions into a complete, structured configuration (partzuf) — is the work of Tevunah.

והיינו ענין עבור המדות בבינה ואח״כ יש ימי יניקה ומוחין כו׳ והוא ענין צומח וחי שהם סמוכים זל״ז כנ״ל.

And this is the matter of the gestation of the emotive attributes in Binah, and afterward there are the days of nursing and [of] intellect, etc., which is the matter of the vegetative and the animal, which are adjacent to each other, as said above.

Explanation

That process is gestation in Binah, then nursing and maturity of intellect: the adjacent vegetative–animal relationship.

משא״כ המל׳ הנה בחכמה דוקא יסודה ממש וכמ״ש בזוהר אבא יסד ברתא1 2 דהיינו שכמו שהחכמה נמשכת מאין ליש שלא בדרך השתלשלות.

But Malchus is founded specifically with Chochmah itself, as it is said in the Zohar, "Abba founded the daughter"; that is, just as Chochmah is drawn from nothing to something, not by way of a chain of descent,

Explanation

Malchus, however, is founded directly by Chochmah, as the Zohar says, "Abba (Chochmah) founded the daughter (Malchus)." Just as Chochmah itself emerges "from nothing to something," not as a product of anything before it,

כך גם המל׳ שהיא בחינת אותיות יש בזה בחי׳ זו במה שנמשכת ג״כ מבחי׳ אין שהרי עפ״י השתלשלות לא היה ראוי להיות התהוות האותיות מהשכל או מהמדות כו׳

so too Malchus, which is the level of the letters, has this quality, in that it too is drawn from the level of "nothing"; for according to the chain of descent it would not be fitting for the letters to come into being from the intellect or from the emotive attributes, etc.

Explanation

so Malchus, the letters, also comes "from nothing," not as an effect of the intellect or the emotions; by the causal chain alone, letters could never have emerged from them.

(ומש״ל דגם חכמה נקרא חי׳ כמ״ש והחכמה תחיה3 היינו כי בחכמה יש ב׳ מדרגות בחי׳ אבא עלאה והוא יו״ד של שם הוי״ה ח״ע אבל בחינה ב׳ הוא נק׳ ישראל סבא ומרומז באות ה׳ כמ״ש במשנת חסידים מסכת או״א.

(And as for what was said above, that Chochmah too is called "living," as it is written, "And wisdom gives life": this is because in Chochmah there are two levels: the level of supernal Abba, which is the Yud of the Name Havayah, supernal Chochmah; but the second level is called Yisrael Saba, and is alluded to in the letter Hei, as written in Mishnas Chassidim, Tractate Abba and Imma.

Explanation

A parenthetical note: Chochmah was earlier called "living" ("wisdom gives life"). That is because Chochmah has two levels: supernal Abba, the Yud of Havayah; and a second level, Yisrael Saba, alluded to in the Hei, as the Kabbalistic work Mishnas Chassidim explains.

והנה בחי׳ ה׳ הוא בחי׳ מקור לבחי׳ חי כמש״ל שארבעה אותיות שם הוי״ה הן מקור בחי׳ דצח״מ לכך בחי׳ זו הב׳ דחכמה נקרא ג״כ חי וזהו והחכמה תחיה אבל בחי׳ ראשונה נקרא מדבר)

Now the level of Hei is the source of the level of the animal, as explained above that the four letters of the Name Havayah are the source of the levels of inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking; therefore this second level of Chochmah is also called "living," and this is "And wisdom gives life"; but the first level is called "speaking.")

Explanation

Since the Hei is the source of the "animal" level, the second level of Chochmah is called "living," while the first level, the Yud, is "speaking."

ולכן אדה״ר היה גופו דומם ממש. כי יש ב׳ מיני אדם. א׳ הוא בחי׳ שם מ״ה שנק׳ אדם

Therefore Adam, the first man, had a body that was truly inanimate. For there are two kinds of "Adam": one is the level of the Name Mah, which is called "Adam,"

Explanation

Therefore Adam's body was truly inanimate. The maamar distinguishes two kinds of "Adam"; the first is the Name Mah, the spelling of Havayah whose numerical value, 45, equals that of אדם ("man").

כמ״ש כתפארת אדם לשבת בית4 שבחי׳ ת״ת שהוא כללות ז״א הנק׳ שם מ״ה נקרא אדם.

as it is written, "Like the beauty of a man, to dwell in the house": the level of Tiferes, which is the totality of Z'eir Anpin, called the Name Mah, is called "Adam."

Explanation

This "Adam" is Tiferes, representing all of Z'eir Anpin, as in "like the beauty (tiferes) of a man" (Isaiah 44:13). The second, higher "Adam" is explained in the next paragraph.

Paragraph 29 in brief

Malchus comes directly from Chochmah, as Chochmah comes from 'nothing'; this is why Adam, whose soul is rooted in Chochmah, had an inanimate body. Two levels of 'Adam' are introduced.

Deeper

In Kabbalah the spelling of Havayah with Alefs (Mah, 45) belongs to Z'eir Anpin, while the spelling with Yuds (Av, 72) belongs to Chochmah; the next paragraph identifies Adam with the Name Av.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
אבא יסד ברתא
How it connects
Kehot’s note points to Zohar III, 248a for these words.
The source
Zohar III, 248aזח״ג רמח, אSefaria (opens in a new tab)
Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 21 · 61b:4–5תקו״ז תיקון כאSefaria (opens in a new tab)
וכד אית בישראל משכילים בחכמה דאיהי י׳ מחשבה עלאה. ידעין לזרקא לה להאי אבנא דאיהי בת יחידה לההוא אתר דאתגזרת בגין דברתא באבא אתעבידת. הה״ד יי׳ בחכמה יסד ארץ. בחכמה דאיהו אבא יסד ברתא דאיהי ארץ הדום רגליו וההוא חוט דילה איהו ו׳. דאבנא דאיהי תגא. עטר׳ על רישיה עטרה דס״ת. ובגינה אתמר ודאשתמש בתגא חלף איהו כתר תורה ודאי. דתלת כתרין אינון כתר תורה וכתר כהונה וכתר מלכות. וכתר תורה (נ״א וכתר שם טוב) על גבייהו.
Hebrew: Constantinople, 1740 (CC-BY-NC) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
זח״ג רמח, א. רנו, ב. רנח, א. ת״ז תי׳ כא.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
אבא יסד ברתא
How it connects
"Abba founded the daughter": Chochmah (Abba) directly founds Malchus (the daughter). The Alter Rebbe uses it to show that Malchus comes straight from Chochmah, not through the chain of descent.our note
The source
Zohar, Pinchas 108:751–111:761ספר הזהר, פנחס ק״ח:תשנ״א-קי״א:תשס״אSefaria (opens in a new tab)
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
3
On the words
והחכמה תחיה
How it connects
"Wisdom gives life"; explained here as referring to the second level of Chochmah, alluded to in the Hei.our note
The source
Ecclesiastes 7:12קהלת ז׳:י״בSefaria (opens in a new tab)
11טוֹבָה חׇכְמָה עִם־נַחֲלָה וְיֹתֵר לְרֹאֵי הַשָּׁמֶשׁ: 12כִּי בְּצֵל הַחׇכְמָה בְּצֵל הַכָּסֶף וְיִתְרוֹן דַּעַת הַחׇכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה בְעָלֶיהָ: 13רְאֵה אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹקִים כִּי מִי יוּכַל לְתַקֵּן אֵת אֲשֶׁר עִוְּתוֹ:
11Wisdom is good with an inheritance, Yea, a profit to them that see the sun. 12For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it. 13Consider the work of God; for who can make that straight, which He hath made crooked?
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
4
On the words
כתפארת אדם לשבת בית
How it connects
"Like the beauty of a man, to dwell in the house." It links Tiferes with "Adam," the first kind of Adam, the Name Mah.our note
The source
Isaiah 44:13ישעיהו מ״ד:י״גSefaria (opens in a new tab)
12חָרַשׁ בַּרְזֶל מַעֲצָד וּפָעַל בַּפֶּחָם וּבַמַּקָּבוֹת יִצְּרֵהוּ וַיִּפְעָלֵהוּ בִּזְרוֹעַ כֹּחוֹ גַּם־רָעֵב וְאֵין כֹּחַ לֹא־שָׁתָה מַיִם וַיִּיעָף: 13חָרַשׁ עֵצִים נָטָה קָו יְתָאֲרֵהוּ בַשֶּׂרֶד יַעֲשֵׂהוּ בַּמַּקְצֻעוֹת וּבַמְּחוּגָה יְתׇאֳרֵהוּ וַיַּעֲשֵׂהוּ כְּתַבְנִית אִישׁ כְּתִפְאֶרֶת אָדָם לָשֶׁבֶת בָּיִת: 14לִכְרׇת־לוֹ אֲרָזִים וַיִּקַּח תִּרְזָה וְאַלּוֹן וַיְאַמֶּץ־לוֹ בַּעֲצֵי־יָעַר נָטַע אֹרֶן וְגֶשֶׁם יְגַדֵּל:
12… arm; Yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; He drinketh no water, and is faint. 13The carpenter stretcheth out a line; He marketh it out with a pencil; He fitteth it with planes, And he marketh it out with the compasses, And maketh it after the figure of a man, According to the beauty of a man, to dwell in the house. 14He heweth him down cedars, And taketh the ilex and the oak, And strengtheneth for himself …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
ישעי׳ מד, יג.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.

Adam as supernal Chochmah; the pattern in every realm ¶30–32

30ואמנם בחי׳ אדה״ר היינו בחי׳ ח״ע1 שהיא ראשית האצי׳ ממש והוא בחי׳ שם ע״ב. ולכן הוא דוקא שהיה גופו דומם.

However, the level of Adam, the first man, is the level of supernal Chochmah, which is the very beginning of Atzilus, and it is the level of the Name Av. Therefore it was specifically he whose body was inanimate.

Explanation

The second, higher "Adam" — Adam the first man — corresponds to supernal Chochmah, the very beginning of Atzilus, and to the Name Av (Havayah spelled out with Yuds, numerical value 72). That is precisely why his body was inanimate.

כי בחכמה דוקא יסד ארץ2 שמהחכמה הוא שיכול להיות התהוות הדומם ואדרבה בדומם דוקא מתלבשת החכמה משא״כ בצומח שהרי כונן שמים הוא בתבונה בלבד.

For specifically "with Chochmah He founded the earth": it is from Chochmah that the inanimate can come into being; on the contrary, Chochmah is vested specifically in the inanimate — not so in the vegetative, for "He established the heavens" only "with Tevunah."

Explanation

Since "with Chochmah He founded the earth," Chochmah produces the inanimate and even vests itself specifically in it, whereas the vegetative, the "heavens," comes only from Tevunah.

משא״כ נפש החי לא יכלה להתלבש בגוף שמבחי׳ דומם שהרי מהבינה לא יכול להיות רק בחי׳ השתלשלות בלבד עו״ע

Whereas the animal soul could not be vested in a body of the inanimate level, since from Binah there can be only a chain of cause and effect,

Explanation

The animal soul, which derives from Binah, could not enter an inanimate body, because Binah can only produce things in a gradual chain of cause and effect,

והוא בחי׳ צומח ולא התהוות בחי׳ המל׳ הנקרא דומם שזה אינו אלא מח״ע דוקא כו׳.

which is the level of the vegetative, and not the coming into being of the level of Malchus, called "inanimate," which is only from supernal Chochmah specifically, etc.

Explanation

which yields the vegetative level, not Malchus, the "inanimate"; Malchus comes only from supernal Chochmah.

וז״ש בבריאת האדם דוקא וייצר ה׳ אלקים בב׳ שמות. שבהן ועל ידן הוא התחברות החכ׳ עם המל׳ כו׳:3

And this is why it is written specifically in the creation of man, "And Havayah Elokim formed," with two Names: for in them and through them is the joining of Chochmah with Malchus, etc.

Explanation

Hence the two Names in "Havayah Elokim formed man": through them Chochmah is joined with Malchus — the highest soul with the lowest body.

Paragraph 30 in brief

Adam's soul is from supernal Chochmah, the only level able to produce and inhabit the 'inanimate'; the two Names of the verse express this joining of Chochmah and Malchus.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
אדה״ר היינו בחי׳ ח״ע
How it connects
the page is on Sefaria, but its text shares nothing with the note (unconfirmed)our note
Where the note points
Torah Ohrתורה אור
below, 73a (Yisro) · not yet checked
Our explanationThat passage speaks of "Adam" as the union and inclusion of the three lines, and explains that the Patriarchs, the "Chariot," are Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferes of Atzilus, whose root is higher than the intellect; the note points there as a parallel on the level of Adam.
Open it on Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
Or HaTorah, by the Tzemach Tzedekאור התורה
Bereshit vol. 3, 567a
Our explanationA parallel discussion of Adam as the level of supernal Chochmah; according to Sefer HaArachim it indicates that Adam after the sin is meant.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Likkutei Torah L'Gimmel Parshiyos (Likkutei Torah on three Torah portions)לקוטי תורה לג׳ פרשיות
38a
Our explanationA parallel discussion of Adam as the level of supernal Chochmah; according to Sefer HaArachim it indicates that Adam after the sin is meant.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Sefer HaArachim-Chabadספר הערכים — חב״ד
entry "Adam HaRishon", note 10
Our explanationIt observes that Torah Ohr here implies Adam before the sin, but from Or HaTorah, Likkutei Torah L'Gimmel Parshiyos and the discourse "Chayav adam levarech" 5638 (ch. 36, on the thousand years) it is evident that Adam after the sin is meant.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Sefer HaMaamarim 5638, by the Rebbe Maharashספר המאמרים תרל״ח
discourse "Chayav adam levarech", ch. 36
Our explanationIts discussion of "the thousand years" is cited by Sefer HaArachim as showing that Adam after the sin is meant.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
The Rebbe Maharash’s maamar “חייב אדם לברך” (5638)ד״ה חייב אדם לברך תרל״ח
A maamar of the Rebbe Maharash, 5638
Find it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
ראה לקמן עג, א. ובאוה״ת פ׳ בראשית כרך ג תקסז, א ובלקו״ת לג״פ לח, א. בספר הערכים-חב״ד ערך אדם הראשון הערה 10 מצויין שכאן בתו״א משמע שזהו לפני החטא, אמנם ממ״ש באוה״ת ובלקו״ת לג״פ הנ״ל ובד״ה חייב אדם לברך תרל״ח פל״ו בענין אלף שנה, מוכח שהכוונה לאדה״ר אחרי החטא.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
בחכמה דוקא יסד ארץ
How it connects
The earth (Malchus, the inanimate) is founded with Chochmah, while the heavens are established only with Tevunah.our note
The source
Proverbs 3:19משלי ג׳:י״טSefaria (opens in a new tab)
18עֵץ־חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר: 19ה׳ בְּחׇכְמָה יָסַד־אָרֶץ כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה: 20בְּדַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמוֹת נִבְקָעוּ וּשְׁחָקִים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָל:
18… to them that lay hold upon her, And happy is every one that holdest her fast. 19The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens. 20By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
3
On the words
וייצר ה׳ אלקים
How it connects
The two Names in the verse on man's formation are read as the means by which Chochmah is joined with Malchus.our note
The source
Genesis 2:7בראשית ב׳:ז׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
6וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן־הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת־כׇּל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה: 7וַיִּיצֶר ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה: 8וַיִּטַּע ה׳ אֱלֹקִים גַּן־בְּעֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם וַיָּשֶׂם שָׁם אֶת־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר יָצָר:
6but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8And the LORD God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there He put the man …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.

31ונמצא מובן מכ״ז עכ״פ בטוב טעם ודעת מה שנפש החיה יש לה גוף שמבחינת צומח דוקא ונפש המדברת היותר עליונה יש לה גוף מבחינת דומם.

It turns out that from all this we understand, at any rate, with good reason and understanding, why the animal soul has a body specifically of the vegetative level, while the speaking soul, which is higher, has a body of the inanimate level.

Explanation

Summary: the animal soul has a vegetative body; the higher, human soul has an inanimate body.

כי אדרבה היא הנותנת כי נשמה גבוה היא שיכולה להתלבש בגוף נמוך דוקא כו׳.

For, on the contrary, this is exactly what dictates it: it is a high soul that can be vested specifically in a low body, etc.

Explanation

This is not despite the soul's height but because of it: only a high soul can enter a low body.

וזהו בין למעלה ובין למטה כלומר בין בעולמות עליונים שיש שם דצח״מ והם בחי׳ מלאכים הנק׳ בשם חיות ועופות כנ״ל

And this is so both above and below; that is, both in the higher worlds, where there are inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking — these being the angels, who are called by the names of beasts and birds, as mentioned above,

Explanation

The same pattern holds "above" as well: in the higher worlds too there are the four levels; the angels, called beasts and birds, correspond to the animal level,

כמ״ש פני אריה1 ופני שור ופני נשר כו׳ ויש שם בחינת מדבר. ונשמת אדה״ר כולל כל נש״י2 3 4 כו׳. וכולם נולדים מהארץ שהיא מל׳ דאצילות.

as it is written, "The face of a lion and the face of an ox and the face of an eagle…," etc. — and there is the level of the speaking there. And the soul of Adam, the first man, includes all the souls of Israel, etc. And they are all born from the "earth," which is Malchus of Atzilus.

Explanation

as in Ezekiel's vision of the faces of a lion, an ox and an eagle; and there is also a "speaking" level there: the soul of Adam, which contained all the souls of Israel. All of them are born from the supernal "earth," Malchus of Atzilus.

Paragraph 31 in brief

The principle that a higher soul can inhabit a lower body applies both in the spiritual worlds and in the physical world.

Deeper

The Arizal teaches that all souls were originally included in the soul of Adam and were scattered and diminished through his sin (Sha'ar HaGilgulim, Introductions 7 and 12).

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
פני ארי׳
How it connects
The faces of the holy beasts of the Chariot; hence angels are called beasts and birds.our note
The source
Ezekiel 1:10יחזקאל א׳:י׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
9חֹבְרֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל־אֲחוֹתָהּ כַּנְפֵיהֶם לֹא־יִסַּבּוּ בְלֶכְתָּן אִישׁ אֶל־עֵבֶר פָּנָיו יֵלֵכוּ: 10וּדְמוּת פְּנֵיהֶם פְּנֵי אָדָם וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל־הַיָּמִין לְאַרְבַּעְתָּם וּפְנֵי־שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאול לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן וּפְנֵי־נֶשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן: 11וּפְנֵיהֶם וְכַנְפֵיהֶם פְּרֻדוֹת מִלְמָעְלָה לְאִישׁ שְׁתַּיִם חֹבְרוֹת אִישׁ וּשְׁתַּיִם מְכַסּוֹת אֵת גְּוִיֹּתֵיהֶנָה:
9… joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 10As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle. 11Thus were their faces; and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Kehot’s note
יחזקאל א, י.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
2
On the words
ונשמת אדה״ר כולל כל נש״י
How it connects
Kehot’s marei makom for these words (its note is below).
Kehot’s note
שער המצות פ׳ תצא, שער הגלגולים הק׳ ו, ז, יב. שער הפסוקים בראשית דרוש ג.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
3
On the words
ונשמת אדה״ר כולל כל נש״י
How it connects
The Arizal distinguishes souls that were included in Adam's soul when he was created ("old" souls) from truly new souls.our note
The source
Sha'ar HaGilgulim 7:11–12שער הגלגולים ז׳:י״א-י״בSefaria (opens in a new tab)
… וכד זכה לשנת הכ', יהבין ליה נשמתא, וכדין כתיב עליה כי בן הייתי לאבי וכו'. מדבר במדרגה הראשונה, שהם הנשמות החדשות לגמרי, שמעולם לא נכללו בנשמת אדה"ר: המדרגה השלישית, והם הנשמות שנפלו בקליפות, אחר שחטא אדה"ר, אשר מהם היתה נשמת שת בן אדם וזולתו, אשר אלו נקראים נשמות ישנות בכל הבחי' הנה הם גרועים מכולם, לפי שכיון שנשרו מן אדם, נפרדו לנצוצות ולחלקים רבים מחמת חטאו של אדם, ולכן באותו הפעם שהיו באדם, היו נקראות ישנות מגלגול אחר בלבד, וכאשר תבא איזו נשמה מהם מאז ואילך בפעם א' בגוף איזה איש וימות, נקרא מגולגל מב' פעמים, וכן כיוצא בזה משם ואילך. ולכן כאשר תבא איזו נשמה ממדרגה הזאת, בגוף איזה אדם, בפעם ראשונה, אין בהם …
Hebrew: Shaar HaGilgulim (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
4
On the words
ונשמת אדה״ר כולל כל נש״י
How it connects
The Arizal states that all souls were at first included in Adam, and when he sinned his limbs fell away and his stature was diminished.our note
The source
Sha'ar HaGilgulim 12:2–3שער הגלגולים י״ב:ב׳-ג׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
… ולמטה מהם היה מדרגה אחרת, והם הנשמות שנשתיירו כלולות בו, ולא נשרו ממנו, ואלו נקראים ג"כ חדשות, אבל לא בערך הראשונות הנז"ל. והנה כאשר אלו הנשמות שממדרגה ב', יבאו בגוף בגלגול, אחר שמת אדה"ר ונפרדו ממנו, עדיין אז יקראו חדשות. והטעם הוא, לפי שיצירת האדם הא' היתה בבחי' זווג עליון אחור באחור ולכן עד שתחזור לבא עם ההיא בבחי' זווג עליון דפנים בפנים, אז תקרא פעם א' שבאה לעולם, ונקראת חדשה, ואם גם אחר מיתת אדה"ר, לא זכתה הנשמה ההיא לבא פעם אחרת בעולם, אלא בבחינת זווג אחור באחור, עכ"ז תקרא עתה פעם א' שבאה לעולם, אע"פ שלא באה ע"י זווג פנים בפנים, לפי שכבר באה עתה אחר מיתת אדם הראשון: ואחר מדרגה זו, יש עוד מדרגה שלישית …
Hebrew: Shaar HaGilgulim (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.

32והנה במאמר תוצא הארץ נפש חיה1 ועוף יעופף2 שהוא ענין התהוות נפש החיה אזי הגוף שלה יצא כאחד עם הנפש דהיינו שהיה הגוף בחינת צומח ויצא ביחד עם הנפש.

Now, by the utterance "Let the earth bring forth living creatures… and let birds fly…," which is the coming into being of the animal soul, its body came forth together with the soul; that is, the body was of the vegetative level and came forth together with the soul.

Explanation

Above: when Malchus of Atzilus produced the angels ("living creatures" and "birds"), their bodies came forth together with their souls; their body is of the vegetative level.

והיינו מפני שגם הנפש נלקחה מחיצוניות הכלים דמל׳ לכן גופו ג״כ רוחני והוא בחי׳ צומח כו׳.

This is because the soul too was taken from the outer dimension of the vessels of Malchus; therefore its body too is spiritual, and it is the level of the vegetative, etc.

Explanation

This is because the angels' souls come from the outer dimension of Malchus' vessels, so their bodies are correspondingly spiritual.

אבל נפש המדברת של האדם לא נתהוית ביחד עם הגוף רק שאח״כ מתלבשת בגוף דומם דוקא היותר נמוך.

But the speaking soul of man did not come into being together with the body; rather, afterward it is vested specifically in an inanimate body, the lowest.

Explanation

The human soul, in contrast, did not come into being with its body; it later entered the lowest, inanimate body.

כי להיותה בעצמה עליונה ביותר ע״כ יכלה לסבול גם גוף גשמי כו׳ (וכמ״ש ג״כ במ״א שזהו ענין ההפרש בין זיווג נשיקין3 שממנו התהוות המלאכים שהוא רוחני ביותר.

For since it is in itself exceedingly high, it could therefore bear even a physical body, etc. (As is also written elsewhere, that this is the difference between the "union of kisses," from which the angels came into being, which is exceedingly spiritual —

Explanation

Being so high in itself, it can bear a physical body. The parenthesis explains this in Kabbalistic imagery: angels are born of the "union of kisses," a purely spiritual union between the Sefiros,

ומ״מ הוא רק השפעה חיצוני׳ ולכן לא יכולים להתלבש בגוף גשמי. אבל זיווג גופני שממנו נשמות עם היותו השפעה גשמית אבל שרשו בפנימי׳ דייקא וע״כ מתלבשים בגופות כו׳)

nevertheless, it is only an external influence, and therefore they cannot be vested in a physical body; but the physical union, from which the souls [come], although it is a physical influence, has its root specifically in the inner dimension, and therefore they are vested in bodies, etc.)

Explanation

but it conveys only an outer influence, so angels cannot be vested in physical bodies. Souls are born of the "physical union" (in Kabbalistic terms), which though more "physical" is rooted in the innermost dimension; therefore souls enter physical bodies.

ובין למטה דהיינו בהתהוות דצח״מ גשמיים מהארץ הלזו שנפש החיה יצאה מהארץ ממש דהיינו שחומר וצורה של החי

And [so it is] below, that is, in the coming into being of the physical inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking from this earth: the animal soul came forth from the earth itself, that is, the matter and form of the animal —

Explanation

Below, in the physical world, the same holds: the animal's matter and form — its body and its vital soul — came out of the earth itself,

שהוא ענין נפשו החיונית וגופו יצאו שניהם מן הארץ כמו שיצא הצומח בחומר וצורה שלו ויצאו שניהם כא׳ להיות סמוכים וקרובים בערך כנ״ל.

which is its vital soul and its body — both came forth from the earth, just as the vegetative came forth in its matter and form; and both came forth together, being adjacent and close in rank, as said above.

Explanation

both together, just as the plant emerges with its matter and form, because they are adjacent in rank.

אבל במדבר אינו כן כנ״ל שהגוף נתהווה מן הארץ בבחי׳ דומם ואח״כ נתלבשה בו נפש מלמעלה והיא הנפש המדברת שלא יכלה לשכון בבחי׳ צומח רק בדומם גשמי כו׳.

But with the speaking it is not so, as said above: the body came into being from the earth on the level of the inanimate, and afterward a soul from above was vested in it — this is the speaking soul, which could not dwell in the vegetative level, but only in the physical inanimate, etc.

Explanation

Not so man: his body came from the earth as inanimate matter, and afterward a soul from above entered it; the speaking soul cannot dwell in the vegetative, only in inanimate matter.

והיינו כי גם למעלה מעלה בבחי׳ אצי׳ הוא כמו״כ שהחי מתלבש בצומח והם סמוכים כאחד והוא מ״ש כונן שמים בתבונה4 וארץ יסודתה בהררי קדש5 ח״ע כו׳:

And this is because even far above, on the level of Atzilus, it is likewise so: the animal is vested in the vegetative, and they are adjacent as one. And this is what is written, "He established the heavens with Tevunah," and the earth — "its foundation is in the holy mountains," [that is,] supernal Chochmah, etc.

Explanation

The root of all this is in Atzilus: the animal (Binah) is vested in the vegetative (the emotions), adjacent to it, as "He established the heavens with Tevunah"; while the "earth" is founded "in the holy mountains" (Psalms 87:1), which the Alter Rebbe identifies with supernal Chochmah.

Paragraph 32 in brief

The maamar concludes by tracing the pattern in all three realms — angels, physical creatures and the Sefiros of Atzilus: adjacent levels arise together, while the highest soul enters the lowest body afterward, because the 'earth' is founded in supernal Chochmah.

Marei mekomos

1
On the words
תוצא הארץ נפש חיה
How it connects
Read both above (Malchus bringing forth the angels) and below (the earth bringing forth the animals, body and soul together).our note
The source
Genesis 1:24בראשית א׳:כ״דSefaria (opens in a new tab)
23וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי: 24וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ בְּהֵמָה וָרֶמֶשׂ וְחַיְתוֹ־אֶרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וַיְהִי־כֵן: 25וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹקִים אֶת־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ לְמִינָהּ וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה לְמִינָהּ וְאֵת כׇּל־רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה לְמִינֵהוּ וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים כִּי־טוֹב:
23And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. 24And God said: ‘Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind.’ And it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth after its kind, and the cattle after their …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
2
On the words
ועוף יעופף
How it connects
"And let birds fly"; the birds too came forth with body and soul together, and angels are called "birds."our note
The source
Genesis 1:20בראשית א׳:כ׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
19וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם רְבִיעִי: 20וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל־הָאָרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם: 21וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹקִים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִם הַגְּדֹלִים וְאֵת כׇּל־נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לְמִינֵהֶם וְאֵת כׇּל־עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ …
19And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. 20And God said: ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.’ 21And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that creepeth, wherewith the waters swarmed, …
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
3
On the words
שזהו ענין ההפרש בין זיווג נשיקין
How it connects
The difference between the "union of kisses" and the physical union is explained there at length.our note
Where the note points
Biurei HaZohar, by the Mitteler Rebbe (Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch)ביאורי הזהר
1d
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Biurei HaZohar, by the Tzemach Tzedekביאורי הזהר
vol. 2, p. 612
Our explanationA further discussion of the difference between the union from which angels come and the union from which souls come.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Sefer HaMaamarim 5656, by the Rebbe Rashabספר המאמרים תרנ״ו
discourse "Uvyom simchaschem", p. 247
Our explanationA later discourse that also treats this difference.
Look for it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
The Rebbe Rashab’s maamar “וביום שמחתכם” (5656)ד״ה וביום שמחתכם תרנ״ו
A maamar of the Rebbe Rashab, 5656
Find it in the Lubavitch Library (opens in a new tab)
Kehot’s note
בארוכה נתבאר בביאה״ז לכ״ק אדמו״ר האמצעי א, ד. ובביאה״ז לצ״צ כרך ב ע׳ תריב. וראה גם בד״ה וביום שמחתכם תרנ״ו ע׳ רמז.
From “Sources and References”, © Kehot Publication Society (CC BY-NC), via Sefaria.
4
On the words
כונן שמים בתבונה
How it connects
The heavens (the emotions) are established with Tevunah, which vests itself in them as the animal in the vegetative.our note
The source
Proverbs 3:19משלי ג׳:י״טSefaria (opens in a new tab)
18עֵץ־חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר: 19ה׳ בְּחׇכְמָה יָסַד־אָרֶץ כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה: 20בְּדַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמוֹת נִבְקָעוּ וּשְׁחָקִים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָל:
18… to them that lay hold upon her, And happy is every one that holdest her fast. 19The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens. 20By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.
5
On the words
יסודתה בהררי קדש
How it connects
"Its foundation is in the holy mountains." The Alter Rebbe reads the "holy mountains" as supernal Chochmah, the foundation of the "earth."our note
The source
Psalms 87:1תהילים פ״ז:א׳Sefaria (opens in a new tab)
1לִבְנֵי־קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר יְסוּדָתוֹ בְּהַרְרֵי־קֹדֶשׁ: 2אֹהֵב ה׳ שַׁעֲרֵי צִיּוֹן מִכֹּל מִשְׁכְּנוֹת יַעֲקֹב:
1A Psalm of the sons of Korah; a Song. His foundation is in the holy mountains. 2The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah (CC-BY-SA) · English: JPS 1917 (Public Domain) · via Sefaria
Identified with the English translation and checked against Sefaria; not in Kehot’s notes.

Finished the maamar?

Mark it as learned; it counts toward the week and the year’s siyum.

Next: maamar 5לא טוב היות האדם לבדו אעשה לו עזר כנגדו

In one’s avodah

Man was placed in the lowest, most physical body precisely so that he can raise everything above it: by using bread and clothing for his needs while serving G‑d with understanding, he elevates the sparks in the inanimate, vegetative and animal realms; and through his G-dly soul he must nullify and transform his physical body, something even the angels cannot do.

Questions for discussion

Why could an animal's body and soul come into being together, while man's body had to be formed first as lifeless dust?
How does the analogy of lifting a wall from its lowest beam explain man's role as the purpose of creation?
In what sense are the letters of speech "inanimate," and what does the ability of the same letters to express opposite ideas show about their source?
Why does "With Chochmah He founded the earth" assign the lowest level to the highest attribute?
What can the G-dly soul do with a physical body that an angel could not, and why?

Key terms in this maamar

The Name Havayahהוי׳: The Tetragrammaton: G‑d as transcending time and bringing all into being.
The Name Elokimאלקים: G‑d as concealed within nature, measuring and limiting. ×4
Daas (knowledge)דעת: Deep connection to an idea, bridging intellect and emotion. ×3
Chochmah (wisdom)חכמה: The first flash of insight. ×19
Z'eir Anpin (the emotive attributes)ז״א: The six emotive Sefiros as one configuration. ×2
Nukva (the feminine / Malchus)נוקבא: Malchus as the receiving configuration.
The emotive attributes (middos)מדות: Love, awe, compassion and the rest. ×19
Binah (understanding)בינה: Developing and grasping an insight in detail. ×5
Malchus (sovereignty)מלכות: Kingship: the level through which G‑d's word creates and rules the worlds.
The World of Atzilus (Emanation)אצילות: The highest world, still one with G‑d. ×1
Lights and vesselsאורות וכלים: Divine revelation and the forms that contain and express it. ×1
Self-nullification (bittul)ביטול: Setting aside one's own sense of self before G‑d. ×4
The Infinite One (Ein Sof)אין סוף: G‑d's own boundless essence.
Chesed (kindness)חסד: Expansive giving. ×2
Gevurah (restraint)גבורה: Measure, limitation and judgment. ×3
The outer dimension (chitzoniyus)חיצוניות: The external, expressive aspect. ×2
The inner dimension (pnimiyus)פנימיות: The innermost core of a level.
The World of Beriah (Creation)בריאה: The first world of separate existence. ×1
The World of Yetzirah (Formation)יצירה: The world of the angels and emotions.
The World of Asiyah (Action)עשיה: The lowest world, including our physical one.
The intellect (mochin)מוחין: Chochmah, Binah and Daas as a whole. ×1
Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah)אבא ואמא: The intellectual configurations.
Tiferes (beauty)תפארת: Harmony of kindness and restraint; associated with compassion. ×1
The chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus)השתלשלות: The step-by-step descent of divine light from the highest level down to this world. ×9
Life-forceחיות: The divine vitality that sustains every creation. ×3

להבין הטעם שנשתנה יצירת גוף האדם משאר כל…

The big idea

The maamar in brief

Outline

Key concepts

The question: why man's body was made differently ¶1–6

Why the body is inanimate: raising all of creation ¶7–9

"With Chochmah He founded the earth" and the two Names ¶10–12

The four levels in the soul and in the Sefiros ¶13–17

Angels and souls: the purpose of self-nullification ¶18–23

Malchus and the letters come from a higher source ¶24–29

Adam as supernal Chochmah; the pattern in every realm ¶30–32

Finished the maamar?

In one’s avodah

Questions for discussion

Key terms in this maamar

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