Torah Ohr · Parshas Mishpatim · Maamar 5
ויראו את אלקי ישראל ותחת רגליו כמעשה לבנת הספיר כו׳
“And they saw the G‑d of Israel, and under His feet”
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The big idea
G‑d, who has no body, is “like the appearance of a man” only as He clothes Himself in the souls of Israel, and through the Throne, the garment that conceals Him, only His “feet” reach down into the separate worlds. There, the letters of the world’s languages, refined through self-sacrifice in prayer and Torah, become “the brick of sapphire” under His feet, while the revelation of His “hands,” above the Throne, belongs to Moshe and the Patriarchs.
The maamar in brief
At Sinai the elders “saw the G‑d of Israel, and under His feet” a brick of sapphire, yet “He did not send forth His hand” to them. How can feet and hands be said of G‑d? Creation changes nothing in Him, for it comes only from His Malchus, a mere radiance. For that infinite radiance to produce finite, divided worlds, it is clothed in “like the appearance of a man,” lights in vessels, and that “man” is the souls of Israel. The Throne is the garment that hides the light so that worlds can feel separate, and as with a seated man, only the feet reach below it. The souls, descended into bodies, are those feet; in their root, “it is pure,” they are above the Throne. The Patriarchs and Moshe, constantly nullified like hands that follow the mind without command, were a chariot for the supernal arms. The soul rises again through letters: the Torah’s letters are “stones” from Heaven, while the letters of the nations’ languages, fired by self-sacrifice in the Shema, become bricks, “the brick of sapphire.” The elders saw only from beneath the Throne, so the “hand” was not revealed to them.
Outline
- The questionThe verses speak of G‑d’s feet and of His hand, and Ezekiel sees “like the appearance of a man” upon the Throne. How can this be said of G‑d, who has no body?¶1
- A radiance clothed in manCreation comes from His Malchus, a radiance that changes nothing in Him. Finite worlds come from it only through “like the appearance of a man,” lights in vessels, which is the souls of Israel, the dwelling of the Shechinah, as different as the limbs of a body. Hence the kaf of comparison: G‑d is “like” a man only as He clothes Himself in them.¶2–10
- The Throne and the feetThe Throne (kas alef) is a garment that conceals the light so that Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah can exist as separate things, and only the “feet” reach below it. The souls, as created and clothed in bodies, are those feet; in their root, “it is pure,” the supernal brightness, they are above the Throne. In Kabbalistic terms the Throne is the screen between Atzilus and Beriah, and the two levels of the soul are Yisrael and Yaakov.¶11–17
- Hands and feetMoshe, “in whose midst I am,” was above the foot, and the Patriarchs were a chariot for the supernal arms. Hands follow the mind by themselves, as one claps for joy, while feet dance only on command: so the constant self-nullification of the Patriarchs and Moshe differs from the aroused love of other tzaddikim. Within each soul, natural love is a foot and love born of understanding a hand, reached in the Shema.¶18–24
- Letters: horses, stones and a houseThe soul descends for the sake of an ascent through the letters of the Torah, which are “horses” that raise it and “stones” that, though lowest, raise intellect and feeling higher still. Spoken aloud, they are a house in which the encompassing Infinite Light dwells; when a person reads, G‑d reads the same words opposite him.¶25–27
- Stones and bricksNatural stones are made by Heaven, bricks by human hands and fired in a kiln. The Torah’s letters are stones; the letters of the seventy languages, spoken by Jews in business, become holy bricks when burned in the fiery love of the Shema, provided business was done coolly and Torah kept fixed.¶28–30
- The brick of sapphire“Under His feet,” below the Throne, the refined letters of the world’s languages shine as “the brick of sapphire.” This is possible because every language uses the same twenty-two letters, though only in the Holy Tongue are the words G‑d’s own creative speech. The two kinds of letters raise the descended souls.¶31–33
- What the elders sawMoshe, rooted in Atzilus, approached Havayah and drew the Torah down; the elders saw “Elokei,” the concealment of the Throne, and there the two kinds of letters. The “hand,” Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferes above the Throne, was not sent forth to them, but only to Moshe and the Patriarchs, as in “My beloved sent forth his hand.”¶34–37
Key concepts
- “Like the appearance of a man”כמראה אדם
- Ezekiel’s figure upon the Throne: the divine light clothed in the Sefiros, lights in vessels, ordered like a human body. It is identified with the souls of Israel, and the kaf (“like”) shows that G‑d Himself is not a man.
- The Throneכסא
- Read as kas alef, “a covering of the alef”: the garment that conceals the light of the Master of the world so that the lower worlds can exist as things separate from G‑d. G‑d’s “sitting” upon it is a lowering of His sovereignty into the worlds.
- The footרגל
- The lowest level of the supernal “man,” the only one that reaches below the Throne. The souls of Israel, as they descend into bodies, are called feet, nullified to G‑d as a foot obeys the head, but only on command.
- “It is pure”טהורה היא
- From the morning blessing over the soul. “Pure” means bright, as in “like the very heavens in purity”: the soul’s root in the supernal brightness, where it is not yet a separate being and is above the Throne.
- Chariotמרכבה
- One wholly given over to G‑d, like a chariot to its rider. The Patriarchs and Moshe, constantly nullified, were a chariot for the supernal arms, the “hands” above the Throne.
- The brick of sapphireלבנת הספיר
- The letters of the world’s languages, spoken in daily business, which are “bricks” made by human hands; burned in the fiery love of the Shema, they become holy stones that shine like sapphire, “under His feet.”
- Lettersאותיות
- Called horses, because they carry the soul upward, and stones, because they are the lowest level that nevertheless raises intellect and feeling. The Torah’s letters are stones from Heaven; those of other languages are bricks.
The question ¶1
1ויראו את אלקי ישראל12 ותחת רגליו כמעשה לבנת הספיר כו׳. הנה ענין תחת רגליו הוא כמ״ש ועל דמות3 הכסא דמות כמראה אדם כו׳ ובבחי׳ כמראה אדם שייך יד ורגל.
“And they saw the G‑d of Israel, and under His feet was like the work of the brick of sapphire,” etc. Now, the matter of “under His feet” is as it is written, “And upon the likeness of the Throne was a likeness like the appearance of a man,” etc.; and at the level of “like the appearance of a man,” hand and foot are applicable.
The maamar opens with Exodus 24:10: after the covenant at Sinai, Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and seventy elders “saw the G‑d of Israel,” and beneath His feet was something like a brick of sapphire. The Alter Rebbe links “under His feet” to Ezekiel’s vision of a figure “like the appearance of a man” seated upon the Throne (Ezekiel 1:26): once G‑d is described in the image of a man, it becomes possible to speak of His hands and feet.
והוא מ״ש אח״כ ואל אצילי בני ישראל4 לא שלח ידו. אך צ״ל איך שייך לומר כן באלקות והלא אין לו גוף5 ולא דמות הגוף.
This is what is written afterward: “And to the nobles of the Children of Israel He did not send forth His hand.” But this must be understood: how can one say this of G‑dliness? Surely He has no body and no likeness of a body!
The next verse (Exodus 24:11) says that G‑d “did not send forth His hand” to the nobles of Israel, so the passage speaks both of His feet and of His hand. The Alter Rebbe asks how such words can be said of G‑d at all, since, as the hymn Yigdal puts it, He has no body and no bodily form; the whole maamar answers this question.
The paragraph sets out the verses the maamar will explain, “under His feet” and “He did not send forth His hand,” and asks how feet and hands can be spoken of G‑d, who has no body.
The Kehot note points out that the midrash Lekach Tov already reads “under His feet” as the Throne of Glory (quoted in Torah Shleimah on this verse), the same link the Alter Rebbe draws to Ezekiel’s Throne. A manuscript in the Tzemach Tzedek’s hand heads this maamar “Toras Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim 5568,” placing it on the Shabbos of Parshas Mishpatim in 1808.
Marei mekomos
- 1ויראו את אלקי ישראל · הנחת כ״ק אדה״א בסה״מ תקס״ח ע׳ סד עם הגהות מהצ״צ. בבוך 1113 נה, א גוכתי״ק הצ״צ, בכותרת: תורת שבת פ׳ משפטים תקסחי״ת. כנראה מהדו״ק בלי כמה הגהות שנדפסו כאן. וכן יש שם הגהות שלא נדפסו כאן. ראה לעיל בציונים לכ״ק אדמו״ר זי״ע. המאמר (בשינויים) והגהות באוה״ת ע׳ א׳רסו. א׳רעו. כרך ח ע׳ ג׳מו. המאמר נזכר בלקו״ת ויקרא ב, ב. מטות פא, ג. סה״מ תרס״ט ע׳ קסז.
- 2ויראו את אלקי ישראל · Exodus 24:10
- 3תחת רגליו . . ועל דמות · Ezekiel 1:26
- 4ואל אצילי בני ישראל · Exodus 24:11
- 5אין לו גוף · ראה פיוט ”יגדל”.
A radiance clothed in man ¶2–10
2והענין דהנה כתיב אני הוי״ה לא שניתי.1 פי׳ שאין שום שינוי אצלו ית׳ בין קודם בריאת העולם והשתלשלות עולמות עליונים ובין לאחר בריאת העולם וכמאמר אתה הוא קודם שנברא2 כו׳.
The explanation is as follows. It is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed.” This means that there is no change whatsoever with Him, may He be blessed, between before the creation of the world and the chain of descent (hishtalshelus) of the higher worlds, and after the creation of the world; as in the saying, “You are He before [the world] was created,” etc.
The Alter Rebbe begins his answer with Malachi 3:6, “I, Havayah, have not changed”: creating the world and the chain of higher worlds brought about no change at all in G‑d. The prayer book says the same: it is “You” before the world was created, and the same “You” after.
והיינו לפי שמקור התהוות כל העולמות הוא רק מבחי׳ מלכותו ית׳ שהוא רק בחי׳ הארה בעלמא דהיינו מה שמלך שמו נקרא עליהם.3
That is because the source from which all the worlds come into being is only from the level of His Malchus (sovereignty), may He be blessed, which is merely the level of a radiance, namely, that His Name “King” is called upon them.
The reason is that the worlds come only from G‑d’s Malchus (sovereignty), which is a mere radiance of Him. A king is king only over subjects, as the hymn Adon Olam says that only when all was made “was His name called King”; the name “King” applies to Him only in relation to the worlds and does not touch His essence.
The paragraph begins the answer: creation brings no change in G‑d, because the worlds come only from His Malchus, a mere radiance, the “name” King that applies to Him only in relation to them.
Marei mekomos
- 1אני ה׳ לא שניתי · Malachi 3:6
- 2אתה הוא קודם שנברא · ראה לעיל לו, א. לח, ב.
- 3שמלך שמו נקרא עליהם · ע״פ פיוט אדון עולם.
3ולכן אין זה פועל שום שנוי ח״ו במהותו ועצמותו. וכמו שאין אור וזיו השמש המאיר לארץ ולדרים עליה פועל שינוי בעצם מאור השמש ע״י המשכת האור להיותו רק הארה כו׳.
Therefore this effects no change at all, G‑d forbid, in His Being and Essence; just as the light and brilliance of the sun, which shines upon the earth and those who dwell on it, effects no change in the luminary of the sun itself through the drawing forth of the light, since it is only a radiance, etc.
Since the worlds come only from a radiance, their creation changes nothing in G‑d’s Being and Essence. The analogy is sunlight: the light that shines on the earth makes no change in the sun itself, because what spreads out is only a radiance of the sun.
ונק׳ ג״כ הארה זו שמו הגדול שעד״מ שמו של האדם אינו נוגע למהותו ועצמותו כו׳. אך מ״מ הארה זו היא בחי׳ א״ס ופשוט בתכלית הפשיטות.
This radiance is also called “His great Name”; for, by way of analogy, a person’s name does not touch his being and essence, etc. Nevertheless, this radiance is of the level of the infinite (Ein Sof), and simple with the utmost simplicity.
This radiance is also called G‑d’s “great Name”: a person’s name is how others call him, and it does not touch who he is. Yet even this radiance is infinite and utterly simple, without parts or divisions, which raises the next question: how can limited, divided worlds come from it?
Creation comes from a mere radiance of G‑d, like sunlight or a name, so it changes nothing in Him; yet that radiance is itself infinite and simple.
4ולכן כדי שיתהוו ממנה בחי׳ עולמות בגבול ומדה וגם בבחי׳ התחלקות המדרגות הוא ע״י התלבשות בבחי׳ כמראה אדם
Therefore, for worlds to come into being from it that are in limit and measure, and also in a state of division into levels, [this] is through [its] enclothing in the level of “like the appearance of a man,”
Because the radiance is infinite and simple, worlds that are finite and divided into levels cannot come from it directly. It must first be clothed in the level of “like the appearance of a man,” a structure with distinct parts, like a human body.
דהיינו בחינת התלבשות האורות בכלים. ובחי׳ כמראה אדם הוא בחי׳ נש״י כמ״ש אדם אתם1 כי ישראל עלו במחשבה.23
that is, the level of the enclothing of the lights in vessels. And the level of “like the appearance of a man” is the level of the souls of Israel, as it is written, “You are adam (man),” for “Israel arose in [the divine] thought.”
This is the clothing of lights in vessels: the divine light invests itself in the vessels of the Sefiros, which are ordered like the limbs of a man. And the souls of Israel are this “man,” as Ezekiel says, “You are adam (man),” because “Israel arose in [the divine] thought” (Bereshit Rabbah 1:4): the souls came first in G‑d’s plan of creation.
Finite, differentiated worlds come from the infinite radiance only through its clothing in “like the appearance of a man,” lights in vessels, and this “man” is the souls of Israel.
In manuscript volume 1113 a gloss is added here: the Kohanim, Levites and Israelites correspond to the three lines of the form of a man, the Kohanim being Chesed, and so on, an anticipation of the three lines of right, left and center described in paragraph 8.
Marei mekomos
- 1אדם אתם · Ezekiel 34:31
- 2ישראל עלו במחשבה · ב״ר בתחלתו. ראה בהנסמן לעיל נ, ב.
- 3ישראל עלו במחשבה · Bereshit Rabbah 1:4
5וכתיב ושכנתי בתוכם בתוכו לא נאמר1 כו׳ שהם כלים להשראת שכינתו ית׳ וכידוע שתכלית הבריאה היה בשביל להיות לו ית׳ דירה בתחתונים. והיינו לשכון שכינתו בישראל שזהו פי׳ ישראל עלו במחשבה.
And it is written, “And I will dwell within them”; it does not say “within it,” etc., for they are vessels for the resting of His Shechinah (Divine Presence), may He be blessed. As is known, the purpose of creation was in order that He, may He be blessed, have a dwelling place among the lower realms; that is, to make His Shechinah dwell in Israel. And this is the meaning of “Israel arose in [the divine] thought.”
Exodus 25:8 says “I will dwell within them,” not “within it,” the Sanctuary: G‑d dwells within each Jew, whose soul is a vessel for the Shechinah. This fulfils the purpose of creation, that G‑d have “a dwelling place among the lower realms,” and that dwelling is Israel, which is why Israel came first in G‑d’s thought.
The souls of Israel are the vessels in which the Shechinah dwells, and this is the purpose for which the world was created.
Marei mekomos
- 1ושכנתי בתוכם בתוכו לא נאמר · Exodus 25:8
6וזהו מכון לשבתך1 פעלת ה׳ ועכשיו השראה זו רק בנשמות ישראל ולא בגופים שלהם מפני שבא נחש על חוה2 והטיל זוהמא.
This is [the meaning of] “the place of Your dwelling, which You, G‑d, have made.” Now, at present, this resting [of the Shechinah] is only in the souls of Israel and not in their bodies, because the serpent came upon Chavah and cast filth [into her].
Exodus 15:17, “the place of Your dwelling which You have made,” refers to this dwelling in Israel. At present G‑d rests only in their souls and not in their bodies, because of the filth that, as the Talmud says, the serpent cast into Chavah.
And although at the Giving of the Torah their filth ceased, through the sin of the [Golden] Calf and the other sins the filth returned to their bodies.
The Talmud says that when Israel stood at Sinai their filth ceased. But, as the Zohar says, after the sin of the Golden Calf and later sins it returned, and it clings to their bodies.
For the body is called “the skin of the serpent.” But [it did] not [return] to their souls, for “G‑d’s portion is,” literally, “His people”; and as is known, the soul does not need rectification for itself.
The body is called “the serpent’s skin,” an expression that recalls Targum Yonasan on Genesis 3:21, where the garments G‑d made for Adam and Chavah come from the skin the serpent shed. The soul was never touched, for Israel is “G‑d’s portion” (Deuteronomy 32:9); as Tanya (chapter 37) says, citing Etz Chaim, the soul itself needs no rectification and descends only to draw down light to rectify the body and the world.
אבל לעתיד שיזדככו גם הגופים וכמ״ש ועצמותיך יחליץ8 וכתיב ואת רוח הטומאה אעביר9 כו׳. אז כתיב ונגלה כבוד10 הוי״ה וראו כל בשר
But in the time to come, when the bodies too will be refined, as it is written, “And He will invigorate your bones,” and it is written, “And I will remove the spirit of impurity,” etc., then it is written, “And the glory of Havayah will be revealed, and all flesh will see,”
In the time to come the bodies too will be refined: Isaiah promises “He will invigorate your bones,” and Zechariah “I will remove the spirit of impurity from the land.” Then Isaiah’s prophecy will be fulfilled: “The glory of Havayah will be revealed, and all flesh will see.”
כי יזדכך החומר עד שיהי׳ בחי׳ גילוי אלקות גם בגופים משא״כ עכשיו אין הגלוי רק בנשמות בלבד.
for the physical matter will be refined until there is a revelation of G‑dliness in the bodies too; whereas now the revelation is only in the souls alone.
“All flesh will see” because physical matter itself will become so refined that G‑dliness will be revealed in the body too. Now, by contrast, the revelation is in the souls alone.
G‑d’s dwelling in Israel is now only in their souls, since the bodies still carry the serpent’s filth; in the time to come the bodies too will be refined and G‑dliness revealed in them.
The Kehot note quotes the Rebbe on an apparent contradiction: the Zohar (1:55b, 1:126b, 3:193b) says the filth returned with the sin of the Calf, while the Talmud (Shabbos 146a, Avodah Zarah 22b) and the Zohar elsewhere (3:14b) imply that it did not. Nitzutzei Oros resolves it: not all of the filth returned (see also the Maharsha on Yevamos 103b).
Marei mekomos
- 1מכון לשבתך · Exodus 15:17
- 2שבא נחש על חוה · Shabbat 146a:1
- 3ואף שבמתן תורה פסקה זוהמתן · Zohar, Chayei Sara 13:82–87
- 4שבמ״ת פסקה זוהמתן . . ע״י חטא העגל . . חזרה הזוהמא · Yevamot 103b:3
- 5משכא דחויא · Targum Jonathan on Genesis 3:21
- 6כי חלק ה׳ . . עמו · Deuteronomy 32:9
- 7שהנשמה א״צ תקון לעצמה · Tanya, Likkutei Amarim 37:18
- 8ועצמותיך יחליץ · Isaiah 58:11
- 9ואת רוח הטומאה אעביר · Zechariah 13:2
- 10ונגלה כבוד ה׳ · Isaiah 40:5
- 11שהגוף נקרא משכא דחויא · Genesis 3:21
7והנה בחי׳ גלוי אלקות בנש״י הנה הוא נמשך בציור אדם. וזהו אדם אתם1 פי׳ עד״מ משכן הנשמה פרטית באיברי הגוף שהוא ג״כ בציור אדם כמו אור השכל שורה במוח דוקא והמדות בלב כו׳.
Now, the revelation of G‑dliness in the souls of Israel is drawn forth in the form of a man. This is [the meaning of] “You are adam (man).” This means: [it is] like the dwelling place of the individual soul in the limbs of the body, which is also in the form of a man; just as the light of the intellect rests specifically in the brain, and the emotive attributes (middos) in the heart, etc.
The revelation of G‑dliness in the souls of Israel takes the form of a man, which is the meaning of “You are adam.” It is like the individual soul dwelling in the limbs of the body: the intellect rests in the brain, the emotions in the heart, each faculty in its own organ.
The divine revelation in the souls of Israel is ordered like a soul in a body, with each faculty in its proper limb.
Marei mekomos
- 1אדם אתם · Ezekiel 34:31
8וחיצוניות המדות בידים חסד דרועא ימינא כו׳. ודרך פרט הן הנה רמ״ח אברים פרטיים שמתחלקת הארת הנשמה בהן ודרך כלל נחלקין לג׳ קווין דרועא ימינא ושמאלא והגוף באמצע.
And the outer dimension (chitzoniyus) of the emotive attributes is in the hands: “Chesed (kindness) is the right arm,” etc. In detail, they are the 248 individual limbs among which the radiance of the soul is divided; and in general they are divided into three lines: the right arm, the left, and the body in the middle.
The emotions also have an outer expression in the hands; in the Kabbalistic image, “Chesed (kindness) is the right arm.” In detail the soul’s radiance is divided among the body’s 248 limbs; in general the body has three lines: the right arm, the left arm and the torso between them.
So too is it to be understood above, regarding the revelation of G‑dliness in the souls of Israel, as it is written, “Her husband is known in the gates (she’arim)”: in each one according to what he measures (meshaer) in his heart.
The same is true above, in the revelation of G‑dliness in the souls of Israel. The Zohar reads “Her husband is known in the gates (she’arim)” as “in each one according to what he measures (meshaer) in his heart”: G‑d is known to each soul according to its own capacity.
As the soul is divided among the limbs and three lines of the body, so the revelation of G‑dliness is divided among the souls of Israel, each receiving it according to its measure.
Marei mekomos
- 1נודע בשערים בעלה · Proverbs 31:23
- 2בכל חד לפום מאי דמשער בלביה · Zohar I, 103b
9ויש נשמות שהן מבחי׳ מוחין שהן כלי לבחי׳ התורה והן ראשי אלפי ישראל1. ויש נשמות שהן כלי לבחי׳ המדות.2 ויש נשמות שהן בחי׳ רגל. אך מ״מ בכולם נאמר נודע בשערים.3
There are souls that are from the level of the intellect (mochin), which are vessels for the level of the Torah, and they are “the heads of the thousands of Israel.” And there are souls that are vessels for the level of the emotive attributes. And there are souls that are the level of the foot. Nevertheless, of all of them it is said, “known in the gates.”
Souls differ: some come from the level of intellect and are vessels for Torah, “the heads of the thousands of Israel” (Numbers 1:16); some are vessels for the emotions; some are the level of the foot. Yet of all of them it says “known in the gates”: G‑d is revealed in each one.
פי׳ נודע לשון חבור והתקשרות כדמיון חבור והתקשרות הנשמה בגוף שעם היות שהנשמה היא רוחנית ולמעלה מגדר גוף גשמי אעפ״כ היא מתקשרת ומתלבשת בגוף גשמי.
This means that “known” (noda) is an expression of joining and binding, like the joining and binding of the soul with the body: although the soul is spiritual and above the bounds of a physical body, nevertheless it binds itself to and is enclothed in a physical body.
The word noda (“known”) is read as joining and binding. It is like the soul, which is spiritual and far above a physical body, yet binds itself to the body and is clothed within it.
כמו״כ נמשך גלוי אוא״ס ב״ה שלמעלה מבחי׳ חכמה ומדות להיות שורה ומתלבש בנשמות ישראל שכללותן היא בחינת קומת אדם ואפי׳ בחינת רגל ובחינת עקביים יש בהן מעלה יתירה שמעמידין את הראש כו׳
So too, the revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is above the level of Chochmah (wisdom) and emotive attributes, is drawn down to rest and be enclothed in the souls of Israel, whose totality is the level of the full stature of a man. And even the level of the foot and the level of the heels have a special virtue, for they hold up the head, etc.,
In the same way the revelation of the Infinite Light, which is above wisdom and emotion, comes to rest in the souls of Israel, which together form the full figure of a man. Even the “feet” and “heels,” the simplest souls, have a special virtue: they hold up the head.
and carry it from place to place, which is not within the power of the head alone, without the foot. Therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Be of lowly spirit before every man,” etc.
The feet also carry the head from place to place, which the head cannot do on its own. That is why the Mishnah (Avos 4:10) teaches, “Be of lowly spirit before every person”: every Jew, even one who is a “foot,” has a quality that the “head” lacks.
Each soul is a different limb of the collective “man,” head, arms or feet, and the Infinite Light is joined to all of them; even the feet have an advantage over the head.
Marei mekomos
- 1
- 2ויש נשמות שהן כלי לבחי׳ המדות · ”כמו חסד דרועא ימינא” — אוה״ת כאן ע׳ א׳רסז. וראה שם בארוכה.
- 3נודע בשערים · Proverbs 31:23
- 4והוי שפל רוח בפני כל אדם · אבות פ״ד מ״י. עי׳ לקו״ש ח״ד ע׳ 1212.
- 5והוי שפל רוח בפני כל אדם · Pirkei Avot 4:10
10וזהו שנאמר בו ית׳ כמראה אדם1 בכ״ף הדמיון.2 כי באמת לאו מכל אינון מדות איהו כלל וכמ״ש כי לא אדם הוא3 כו׳.
This is why it is said of Him, may He be blessed, “like the appearance of a man,” with the kaf of comparison. For in truth “He is not of any of these attributes at all,” as it is written, “For He is not a man,” etc.
This is why Ezekiel says “like the appearance of a man,” with the kaf (“like”) of comparison: G‑d Himself is not of these attributes at all, as the verse in Samuel says, “For He is not a man.”
אך שיורד ומתלבש בנש״י שהן בחי׳ ציור אדם א״כ מצד התלבשות זו נאמר בו ית׳ כמראה אדם כו׳. וזהו מ״ש ועשיתם אתם וארז״ל כאלו עשאוני:4
But [since] He descends and is enclothed in the souls of Israel, which are the level of the form of a man, it follows that by virtue of this enclothing it is said of Him, may He be blessed, “like the appearance of a man,” etc. And this is what is written, “And you shall make them,” and our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “as though they had made Me.”
Only because He descends and clothes Himself in the souls of Israel, which have the form of a man, can it be said that He is “like the appearance of a man.” This explains the Sages’ reading of “And you shall make them” as though Israel “made” G‑d, for through them He takes on this form.
The kaf of comparison shows that G‑d is not a man; He is “like” a man only because He clothes Himself in the souls of Israel, and in that sense they “make” Him.
Sefer HaErchim Chabad, cited in the Kehot note, observes that the kaf here means that G‑d is above the level of “man,” whereas Likkutei Torah (Matos 81c) and other works say that “like the appearance of a man” is below the level of “man” itself. Or HaTorah glosses “as though they made Me” as “in the level of ‘like the appearance of a man,’” and a summary added in manuscript volume 1113 explains that the souls of Israel, drawn from the vessels of the ten Sefiros of Atzilus, are like them vessels for the Infinite Light, and draw it into Atzilus and into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
Marei mekomos
- 1כמראה אדם · Ezekiel 1:26
- 2כמראה אדם בכף הדמיון · בספר הערכים-חב״ד ח״א במילואים לערך אדם העליון טור תרפב שהדיוק כאן כי הוא למעלה מבחי׳ אדם, אמנם בלקו״ת מטות פא, ג, חינוך (שבשע״ת לאדה״א ח״ב) פי״ח ואילך. אוה״ת ואתחנן ע׳ פו. לקו״ת לג״פ נג, ד. ובד״ה עיר קטנה תרכ״ו איתא שדמות כמראה אדם הוא למטה מבחי׳ אדם עצמו.
- 3כי לא אדם הוא · I Samuel 15:29
- 4ועשיתם אתם וארז״ל כאלו עשאוני · Leviticus 26:3
The Throne and the feet ¶11–17
11והנה פי׳ וענין ועל דמות הכסא דמות כמראה אדם1 מהו ענין הכסא. הענין הוא שכדי שיהיה התהוות הנבראים דבי״ע שמלבד שהן בבחי׳ גבול ומדה עוד זאת הן בחי׳ יש ודבר נפרד בפ״ע
Now, [as for] the meaning and matter of “And upon the likeness of the Throne was a likeness like the appearance of a man,” what is the matter of the Throne? The matter is this: in order for there to be the coming into being of the created beings of [the worlds of] Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah (Creation, Formation and Action), which, besides being in limit and measure, are furthermore something existent (yesh) and a thing separate unto itself,
Now the Throne: why is the figure seated on a throne? Because the creatures of the lower worlds, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, are not only finite but also feel themselves to be something existent (yesh), separate from G‑d.
לכן א״א להיות התהוות זו ע״י המשכת האור והחיות מבחי׳ כמראה אדם עצמו שהוא בבחי׳ בטול בתכלית דבאצי׳ איהו וגרמוהי חד ממש אלא הוא ע״י בחי׳ ישיבת האדם העליון על הכסא.
therefore this coming into being cannot take place through the drawing down of the light and life-force (chayus) from the level of “like the appearance of a man” itself, which is in a state of utter self-nullification (bittul), for in Atzilus (Emanation) “He and His causations are” truly “one.” Rather, it is through the level of the sitting of the supernal man upon the Throne.
Such separate existence cannot come directly from “like the appearance of a man” itself, the World of Atzilus, where all is utterly nullified and G‑d and the Sefiros through which He acts are one. It comes through the supernal man “sitting” upon the Throne.
כי הנה עד״מ הכסא שאדם יושב עליה שהוא בחי׳ ירידה והשפלה למטה כך למעלה כתיב וישב ה׳ מלך לעולם.2
For, by way of analogy, the throne on which a person sits is a matter of descent and lowering downward; so too above, it is written, “And G‑d sat as King forever (le’olam).”
A person who sits down lowers himself. So too Psalms 29:10 says that G‑d “sat as King,” describing a descent.
פי׳ מלך לעולם היינו להיות המשכת מלכותו ית׳ למטה להתהוות בי״ע שהן עולמות הנפרדים נק׳ המשכה זו בחי׳ ישיבה שהיא השפלה והמשכה
“King le’olam” means: for there to be a drawing down of His Malchus, may He be blessed, below, for the coming into being of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, which are the separate worlds (olamos). This drawing down is called the level of “sitting,” which is a lowering and drawing down;
The Alter Rebbe reads le’olam, “forever,” as “to the world”: G‑d’s sovereignty is drawn down to bring into being Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, the worlds of separate existence. This lowering is what is called “sitting.”
והיינו ע״י הכסא כס א׳ שהוא בחי׳ לבוש3 להלביש ולהעלים האור וחיות הנמשך מבחי׳ אל״ף אלופו של עולם להיות אל מסתתר4 כדי שיהיה התהוות היש ודבר נפרד.
and this is through the Throne (kisei), kas alef [a covering of the alef], which is the level of a garment, to clothe and conceal the light and life-force drawn from the level of alef, “the Master (aluf) of the world,” so that He be “a G‑d Who hides Himself,” in order that there be the coming into being of the existent (yesh) and separate thing.
It happens through the Throne (kisei), read as kas alef, “a covering of the alef”: the Throne is a garment that hides the light coming from the alef, the aluf (Master) of the world, so that G‑d is “a G‑d Who hides Himself” (Isaiah 45:15). Only so can a created being feel itself to be a separate thing.
The Throne is the garment that conceals the divine light, so that the lower worlds can come into being as things that feel separate from G‑d.
Marei mekomos
- 1ועל דמות הכסא דמות כמראה אדם · Ezekiel 1:26
- 2וישב ה׳ מלך לעולם · Psalms 29:10
- 3הכסא . . שהוא בחי׳ לבוש · ראה שרש מצות התפלה פכ״ד.
- 4אל מסתתר · Isaiah 45:15
Now, by way of analogy, in one who sits on a throne, his body and hands are above the throne; only his feet are lowered and extend downward to the ground.
Picture someone sitting on a throne: his body and hands are above the seat, and only his feet hang below it and reach the ground.
כמו״כ יובן למעלה. בענין על הכסא דמות כמראה אדם שההמשכה ממנו למטה להתהוות הנבראים הוא רק עד״מ מבחי׳ אחרונה הנק׳ רגלי וכמ״ש והארץ הדום רגלי:2
So too is it to be understood above, regarding “upon the Throne, a likeness like the appearance of a man”: the drawing down from it below, for the coming into being of the created beings, is, by way of analogy, only from the last level, which is called “My feet,” as it is written, “And the earth is the stool of My feet.”
So it is above: of the figure “like the appearance of a man” upon the Throne, only the lowest level, called “My feet,” reaches below the Throne to bring the created beings into existence. This is why Isaiah calls the earth “the stool of My feet.”
As with a seated person whose feet alone reach below the seat, only the lowest level of the supernal “man” extends below the Throne to create the lower worlds.
Marei mekomos
- 1גופו וידיו למעלה מהכסא רק רגליו הם מושפלים · נתבאר באוה״ת בראשית כרך ג תעא, א ושם מציין לכאן.
- 2והארץ הדום רגלי · Isaiah 66:1
13וביאור ענין זה דהנה מבואר למעלה דבחי׳ כמראה אדם היינו נש״י. והנה הם הנקראים בנים לה׳ וברא כרעא דאבוה12 שהוא בחי׳ רגל
The explanation of this matter: it was explained above that the level of “like the appearance of a man” is the souls of Israel. Now, they are the ones called “children of G‑d,” and “a son is the leg of his father,” which is the level of the foot,
As explained, “like the appearance of a man” is the souls of Israel. They are called “children of G‑d,” and the Talmud says that “a son is the leg of his father,” so the soul is like a foot of its divine Father.
as it is written, “Six hundred thousand on foot (raglei) are the people,” etc. For just as, by way of analogy, the foot is nullified to the head, [which] “turns it wherever it wishes,”
So too Moshe called the people “six hundred thousand on foot” (raglei, literally “feet”). A foot is nullified to the head, which “turns it wherever it wishes,” in words borrowed from Proverbs 21:1.
כך כללות נשמות ישראל יש בהן בחי׳ בטול זה בטבע תולדותם אליו ית׳ והיא בחי׳ אהבה המסותרת שבכל א׳ מישראל בלי טעם ודעת כלל רק לפי שהן חלק הוי״ה עמו5
so too the souls of Israel as a whole possess this level of self-nullification (bittul) toward Him, may He be blessed, by their inborn nature. This is the level of the hidden love that is in every one of Israel, without any reason or knowledge at all, only because they are “the portion of Havayah,” “His people,”
In the same way every Jewish soul is by its very nature nullified to G‑d. This is the “hidden love” present in every Jew, which has no reason or understanding behind it; it exists simply because the souls are “G‑d’s portion.”
כמו הבן שנמשך ממוח האב והיה עצם א׳ עמו רק שאח״כ נמשך להיות דבר בפ״ע.
like the son, who is drawn from the brain of the father and was one essence with him, only that afterward he was drawn forth to become a thing unto himself.
It is like a son, who is drawn from his father’s brain and was at first one being with him, and only later becomes a person in his own right.
כמו״כ כתיב שמע ישראל6 הוי״ה אלהינו שלנו דהיינו שרש הנשמה כמו שהיתה כלולה עדיין במקורה ושרשה היא למעלה מבחי׳ רגל ובחי׳ כרעא דאבוה רק מתאחדי׳ עם מוח האב עד״מ והם דבר א׳ ממש עם אלהותו ית׳.
So too it is written, “Hear, O Israel, Havayah is our G‑d”: ours, that is, the root of the soul as it was still included in its source and root, which is above the level of the foot and the level of “the leg of his father”; rather, they are united with the brain of the father, by way of analogy, and are literally one thing with His G‑dliness, may He be blessed.
So in the Shema, “Havayah is our G‑d,” the word “our” refers to the root of the soul as it is still contained in its source. There it is not yet a “foot” or “the leg of the father”; it is united with the “brain of the father,” truly one with G‑dliness.
The souls of Israel are called “feet” because, like a son who is his father’s leg, they are by nature nullified to G‑d; in their root they are one with Him, like a son still in his father’s mind.
Marei mekomos
- 1וברא כרעא דאבוה · נסמן לעיל א, ב.
- 2ברא כרעא דאבוה · Eruvin 70b:2–3
- 3שש מאות אלף רגלי העם · Numbers 11:21
- 4לכל אשר יחפוץ יטנו · Proverbs 21:1
- 5חלק הוי״ה עמו · Deuteronomy 32:9
- 6שמע ישראל · Deuteronomy 6:4
14וזהו הוי״ה אלקינו ממש רק שאח״כ ירדו בהשתלשלות המדרגות להיות בחי׳ בפ״ע ונק׳ רגל ואעפ״כ הוא כרעא דאבוה ממש.1
This is “Havayah is our G‑d,” literally. Only that afterward they descended through the chain of descent (hishtalshelus) of the levels, to become a level unto themselves, and they are called “foot”; and even so, it is literally “the leg of his father.”
This is what “Havayah is our G‑d,” literally, means. Afterward the souls descended through the chain of levels, became separate entities and are called “feet,” yet even then each remains truly “the leg of its father.”
Therefore they have the level of self-nullification even afterward, by virtue of their root, etc. And this is [the meaning of] “The soul that You have given within me is pure; You created it,” etc.
Therefore the souls keep their self-nullification even after the descent, because of their root. The morning blessing says the same: “The soul that You have given within me is pure; You created it,” and so on.
Even after descending to become separate “feet,” the souls keep the nullification that comes from their root, as the blessing “the soul… is pure” implies.
Marei mekomos
- 1כרעא דאבוה ממש · Eruvin 70b:2–3
- 2טהורה היא · ראה לקו״ת ראה כז, א ובמ״מ לשם.
- 3נשמה שנתת בי טהורה היא אתה בראתה · Berakhot 60b:4
15וידוע הקושיא איך שייך לומר טהורה היא קודם שהזכיר בריאתה וגם מה כפל ג׳ לשונות בראתה יצרתה נפחתה.
The question is well known: how can one say “it is pure” before mentioning its creation? And also, why the repetition of three expressions, “You created it, You formed it, You breathed it”?
A well-known question on this blessing: how can it call the soul “pure” before it even mentions that the soul was created? And why does it repeat three verbs, “You created it, You formed it, You breathed it”?
But the explanation is that the meaning of “it is pure” (tehorah) is like what is said here, “and like the very essence of the heavens in purity (latohar),” which is the level of the brightness of the light.
The answer is that tehorah (“pure”) here means brightness, as in our own verse, “like the very essence of the heavens in purity (latohar),” which describes the clear radiance of the heavens.
The question on “the soul… is pure” is answered by reading “pure” as the brightness of light, as in the verse “like the very essence of the heavens in purity.”
In Likkutei Torah (Re’eh 27a) the Alter Rebbe adds that “pure” in this sense is said only of something that still has some substance, only very bright and refined, the vessels of Atzilus; “holy” means utterly separate, the Infinite Light itself. The soul descends from “pure” in order to reach, through the mitzvos, the level of “Who has sanctified us.”
Marei mekomos
- 1וכעצם השמים לטהר · Exodus 24:10
- 2וכעצם השמים לטהר · Yoma 59a:10
16וכן תרגום צהרים טיהרא123 וכך שרש הנשמה נמשכה ממקום גבוה מאד. וזהו טהורה היא שנמשכה מבחי׳ טהירו עלאה שבזוה״ק.4
Similarly, the Targum [renders] tzohorayim (noon) [as] tihara. So too, the root of the soul is drawn from a very lofty place. And this is “it is pure”: that it is drawn from the level of tehiru ila’ah (the supernal brightness) [mentioned] in the holy Zohar.
Likewise, as Rashi notes, the Aramaic Targum renders tzohorayim, “noon,” as tihara, the bright time of day. So the soul’s root is drawn from a very high place: “it is pure” means it comes from tehiru ila’ah, the “supernal brightness” of which the Zohar speaks at the very beginning of creation.
והוא ג״כ משארז״ל דע מאין באת56 שבחי׳ אין הוא שמתאחד עם אלהותו יתברך בתכלית וכנ״ל בפי׳ הוי״ה אלקינו ממש.
This is also what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Know from where (me’ayin) you came,” for the level of ayin (nothing) is what is utterly united with His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, as explained above regarding “Havayah is our G‑d,” literally.
The Mishnah’s words “Know from where (me’ayin) you came” (Avos 3:1) are read as “from ayin,” from nothing: the soul’s source is a level of divine “nothing” that is utterly one with G‑d, as in “Havayah is our G‑d” above.
וזהו בחי׳ הבהירות דהיינו שאינו יש ודבר בפ״ע כלל. אך אח״כ ירדה למטה בבחי׳ בי״ע להיות יש ודבר וזהו כפל הג׳ לשונות בראתה יצרתה נפחתה בי7 כו׳
And this is the level of brightness, meaning that it is not at all a yesh (an existent) and a thing unto itself. But afterward it descended below, into the level of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, to become a yesh and a thing; and this is the repetition of the three expressions, “You created it, You formed it, You breathed it into me,” etc.
This is the “brightness”: at its source the soul is not a yesh, a separate existence, at all. Only afterward does it descend into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah and become a yesh, and that is why the blessing adds three verbs, one for each of those worlds: “You created it,” “You formed it,” “You breathed it into me.”
(And then it is called the level of the foot; whereas in its root it is the level of Yisrael, li rosh (“a head for Me”). See what is written in Parshas Shelach on [the verse] “I am Havayah your G‑d,” etc.)
Once it has descended, the soul is called the level of the foot. In its root it is Yisrael, whose letters spell li rosh, “a head for Me”; the Alter Rebbe refers to his discourse in Likkutei Torah, Parshas Shelach, on “I am Havayah your G‑d.”
וזהו ביאור ענין הנ״ל בפי׳ ועל דמות11 הכסא כו׳ שהוא להיות התהוות בי״ע שזהו ע״י בחי׳ כסא ובחי׳ רגלי אדם
And this is the explanation of the matter mentioned above in the interpretation of “And upon the likeness of the Throne,” etc.: that it is for the coming into being of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, which is through the level of the Throne and the level of the feet of the man,
This explains what was said above about the Throne: Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah come into being through the Throne and through the “feet” of the supernal man.
והיינו בחי׳ הנשמות כמו שהן בבחי׳ בראתה יצרתה כו׳ שע״י התלבשות האור בהן מקבלים שאר הנבראים וחיצוניות העולמות דבי״ע
that is, the level of the souls as they are at the level of “You created it, You formed it,” etc., for through the enclothing of the light in them, the other created beings and the outer dimension (chitzoniyus) of the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah receive [from it];
Those “feet” are the souls as they exist on the level of “You created it, You formed it.” Through the light clothed in them, the other creatures and the outer dimension of the lower worlds receive their life.
אבל כמו שהן בשרשן למעלה בחי׳ טהורה היא ישראל עלו במחשבה הן למעלה מבחי׳ כסא ומבחי׳ התהוות הנבראים דבי״ע כו׳.1213
but as they are in their root above, the level of “it is pure,” “Israel arose in [the divine] thought,” they are above the level of the Throne and above the level of the coming into being of the created beings of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, etc.
But in their root, “it is pure,” “Israel arose in thought,” the souls are above the Throne and above the whole process of creating the lower worlds.
“It is pure” describes the soul’s root in the supernal brightness, where it is not yet a separate being; its descent through the three worlds makes it a “foot” through which the lower worlds receive life, while in its root it remains above the Throne.
Marei mekomos
- 1תרגום צהרים טיהרא · Rashi on Genesis 43:16
- 2טיהרא · Onkelos Deuteronomy 28:29
- 3טיהרא · Targum Jonathan on Genesis 43:16
- 4מבחי׳ טהירו עלאה שבזוה״ק · Zohar I, 15a
- 5דע מאין באת · אבות פ״ג מ״א.
- 6דע מאין באת · Pirkei Avot 3:1
- 7בראתה יצרתה נפחתה בי · Berakhot 60b:4
- 8ישראל לי ראש . . וכמ״ש במ״א · וראה לעיל נ, ב ובהנסמן לשם.
- 9עמ״ש בפ׳ שלח ע״פ . . וגו׳ · בבוך 1113 ליתא.
- 10בפ׳ שלח ע״פ אני ה׳ אלקיכם · לקו״ת פ׳ שלח.
- 11שו״ה וזהו ביאור — בפי׳ ועל דמות כסא · בבוך 1113: בפי׳ ועל הכסא כו׳.
- 12וכעצם השמים לטהר . . וכן תרגום צהרים טיהרא · Exodus 24:10
- 13מחנה מיכאל כאריה שאג · ראה לעיל ג, א.
17וע״פ לשון הקבלה יובן ג״כ הענין דבחי׳ כמראה אדם העליון הוא התלבשות אור א״ס ב״ה בע״ס דאצי׳ והכסא הוא המסך שבין אצי׳ לבריאה כו׳ וכן בנש״י הנמשכים מבחי׳ ע״ס הנ״ל יש בהן ב׳ בחי׳.
According to the language of the Kabbalah, too, the matter will be understood: the level of the supernal “like the appearance of a man” is the enclothing of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, in the ten Sefiros of Atzilus (Emanation), and the Throne is the screen (masach) between Atzilus and Beriah (Creation), etc. And likewise in the souls of Israel, which are drawn from the level of the ten Sefiros mentioned above, there are two levels.
In Kabbalistic terms, the supernal “like the appearance of a man” is the Infinite Light clothed in the ten Sefiros of Atzilus, and the Throne is the masach, the “screen” or barrier between Atzilus and Beriah. The souls of Israel, which come from those ten Sefiros, likewise have two levels.
היינו הא׳ בחי׳ מזליה חזי שבאצי׳ זהו למעלה מהכסא. והב׳ בחי׳ בראתה יצרתה כו׳ להתלבש בגוף.
That is: the first is the level of “his mazal sees,” which is in Atzilus; this is above the Throne. And the second is the level of “You created it, You formed it,” etc., to be enclothed in the body.
The first is the soul’s root in Atzilus, called “his mazal sees,” after the Talmud’s remark that the men with Daniel did not see his vision, yet “their mazal saw”: a higher part of the soul perceives what the person does not. This level is above the Throne; the second is the soul as created and formed to be clothed in a body.
וזהו הנק׳ בחי׳ רגל. ונק׳ ג״כ ב׳ בחי׳ אלו ישראל ויעקב כי ישראל לי ראש. ויעקב יו״ד המתלבש בבחינת עקב וכמ״ש במ״א:
And this is what is called the level of the foot. These two levels are also called Yisrael and Yaakov: for Yisrael is li rosh (“a head for Me”), and Yaakov is a yud enclothed in the level of akev (the heel), as is explained elsewhere.
The second level is called the “foot.” The two levels are also called Yisrael and Yaakov: Yisrael spells li rosh, “a head for Me,” while Yaakov is read as a yud clothed in akev, the “heel.”
In Kabbalistic terms the Throne is the screen between Atzilus and Beriah; the soul’s root in Atzilus (“his mazal sees,” Yisrael) is above it, while its level clothed in the body (Yaakov, the “heel”) is the foot.
Hands and feet ¶18–24
18והנה משה רבינו ע״ה אמר שש מאות אלף רגלי העם אשר אנכי בקרבו1 כו׳. שמבואר שמשה רבע״ה הוא למעלה מעלה מבחי׳ רגל.
Now, Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, said, “Six hundred thousand on foot (raglei) are the people in whose midst I am,” etc. This makes clear that Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, is far, far above the level of the foot;
Moshe said, “Six hundred thousand on foot are the people in whose midst I am” (Numbers 11:21). By setting “I” apart from the people, whom he calls “feet,” he shows that he himself is far above the level of the foot.
דהיינו אפי׳ לאחר ירידת נשמתו בגופו מאיר בו מבחי׳ שלמעלה מבחי׳ כסא ובחי׳ רגל הנ״ל.
that is, even after the descent of his soul into his body, there shines in him [light] from the level that is above the level of the Throne and the level of the foot mentioned above.
Even after his soul came down into his body, there shone in him the level that is above the Throne and above the “foot.”
Moshe’s words show that, unlike the people, he was above the level of the foot even while in a body.
Marei mekomos
- 1שש מאות אלף רגלי העם אשר אנכי בקרבו · Numbers 11:21
19והענין הוא ע״ד מארז״ל האבות הן הן המרכבה12 וידוע דהאבות הן היו מרכבה לבחי׳ זרועות עולם3 אברהם לבחי׳
The matter is like what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The Patriarchs, they are the Chariot.” And it is known that the Patriarchs were a chariot for the level of “the everlasting arms” (zero’os olam): Avraham for the level of
The Sages said, “The Patriarchs, they are the Chariot”: as a chariot has no will of its own and is wholly given over to its rider, so the Patriarchs were wholly given over to G‑d. They were a chariot for “the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27), the arms of the supernal man, as the next part details.
חסד דרועא ימינא ויצחק לבחי׳ דרועא שמאלא כו׳. ובחי׳ זרועות דאדם העליון הוא עד״מ למעלה מעלה מבחי׳ הכסא כנ״ל.
Chesed (kindness), “the right arm,” and Yitzchak for the level of “the left arm,” etc. And the level of the arms of the supernal man is, by way of analogy, far, far above the level of the Throne, as mentioned above.
Avraham was the chariot for Chesed, “the right arm,” and Yitzchak for “the left arm,” and so on. The arms of the supernal man are far above the Throne, since, as explained, only the feet reach below it.
The Patriarchs were a chariot for the supernal arms, which are far above the Throne.
Marei mekomos
- 1האבות הן הן המרכבה · נסמן לעיל ד, ג.
- 2האבות הן הן המרכבה · Bereshit Rabbah 47:6
- 3זרועות עולם · Deuteronomy 33:27
20והענין דמבואר למעלה דבחי׳ הכסא הוא הלבוש והמסך המעלים על האור כדי שיהיה התהוות בי״ע כו׳. ובחי׳ הרגלים נמשכים למטה ע״י הכסא ולבוש הנ״ל.
The matter is this: it was explained above that the level of the Throne is the garment and the screen that conceals the light, so that there may be the coming into being of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, etc. And the level of the feet extends downward through the Throne and garment mentioned above.
As explained, the Throne is the garment and screen that hides the light so that the lower worlds can exist, and only the “feet” reach below it, through that garment.
אבל בחי׳ הידים הוא גילוי בחינה שלמעלה מלבוש והעלם זה והוא גילוי בחי׳ טהורה היא כו׳ שלמעלה מבחי׳ בראתה כו׳
But the level of the hands is a revelation of a level that is above this garment and concealment; it is a revelation of the level of “it is pure,” etc., which is above the level of “You created it,” etc.
The “hands,” however, reveal a level above that garment and concealment: the level of “it is pure,” the soul’s root, which is above “You created it.”
והאבות ומשה רבע״ה היו מרכבה לבחי׳ גילוי אור זה והיינו ע״י שהיו מרכבה בבחי׳ בטול תמידי ממש.
And the Patriarchs and Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, were a chariot for the level of the revelation of this light; that is, because they were a chariot in a state of truly constant self-nullification (bittul).
The Patriarchs and Moshe were a chariot for the revelation of this light because they lived in a state of truly constant self-nullification, never feeling themselves apart from G‑d.
The hands, unlike the feet, are above the Throne’s concealment, and the Patriarchs and Moshe, constantly nullified to G‑d, were a chariot for them.
21ועי״ז המשיכו גילוי זה. וביאור הענין הוא כי הנה אנו רואים עד״מ למטה באדם שהידים יש בהן גילוי המוחין
And through this they drew down this revelation. The explanation of the matter is that, by way of analogy, we see below, in a person, that in the hands there is a revelation of the mind (mochin)
Through this constant self-nullification they drew this revelation down. The Alter Rebbe explains with a human analogy: the hands reveal more of a person’s mind than the feet do.
והשכל יותר מברגלים שמתאחדין ומתקרבים יותר אצל השכל והמוחין מהרגלים שאע״פ שהרגל ג״כ בטילה לגבי הראש ולכל אשר יחפוץ יטנו1 מ״מ בטול זה אינו ממילא
and intellect more than in the feet, for they are more united with and closer to the intellect and mind than the feet are. For although the foot too is nullified to the head, and [the head] “turns it wherever it wishes,” nevertheless this nullification does not come of itself,
The hands are closer to the intellect and more united with it. The feet too obey the head, which “turns them wherever it wishes,” but that obedience does not happen by itself.
אלא ע״פ צווי השכל שהרגל נשמעת לצווי זה משא״כ תנועות הידים נעשה ממילא כפי רצון השכל וא״צ לצווי כלל
but by the command of the intellect, which command the foot obeys; whereas the movements of the hands happen of themselves, according to the will of the intellect, and need no command at all,
The feet move only by a command from the mind, which they obey. The hands move by themselves, following the mind’s wish without any command.
כמו שאנו רואים הפרש בין טפוח בידיו לרקוד שברגליו שכאשר יהיה האדם בשמחה מיד יטפח בידיו דהיינו שיראה בידיו תנועה המורה על השמחה כמו להכות כף כו׳
as we see the difference between clapping with one’s hands and dancing with one’s feet: when a person is joyful, he immediately claps his hands, that is, he shows with his hands a movement that indicates joy, such as striking palm [to palm], etc.;
For example, a joyful person claps his hands at once, without deciding to; the joy simply shows itself in his hands.
משא״כ ברגלים שיהיה נמשך מזה שיהיו רוקדים הוא אינו נעשה ממילא אא״כ יהי׳ צווי והמשכה מהשכל לרגליו לרקד כו׳.
whereas with the feet, that it should follow from this that they dance does not happen of itself, unless there is a command and a drawing forth from the intellect to his feet to dance, etc.
Dancing, by contrast, does not happen by itself: the mind must command it and send the impulse to the feet.
The hands follow the mind spontaneously, while the feet move only by command; the analogy prepares the difference between the Patriarchs and Moshe and other righteous souls.
Marei mekomos
- 1ולכל אשר יחפוץ יטנו · Proverbs 21:1
22וכן עד״ז בשארי תנועות יהי׳ ביד התהוות התנועה ממילא כפי המחשבה שבשכל כנראה בחוש משא״כ ברגל אינו ממילא רק ע״פ צווי.
And so too, in the same way, with other movements: in the hand the movement comes about of itself, according to the thought in the intellect, as is plainly seen; whereas in the foot it is not of itself, but only by command.
The same holds for other movements: the hand moves by itself, following the thought in the mind, as anyone can see, while the foot moves only on command.
וזה ראייה ברורה שבידים יש גילוי השכל יותר עד שנמשכין מאליהן אחר מחשבת השכל כאלו אינן דבר בפ״ע.
This is clear proof that in the hands there is more revelation of the intellect, so much so that they follow the thought of the intellect of their own accord, as though they were not a thing unto themselves.
This clearly shows that the intellect is more revealed in the hands. They follow the mind’s thought of their own accord, as though they had no existence of their own.
והנמשל יובן שזהו ההפרש בין מעלת האבות ומשה רבע״ה שהיו בחי׳ מרכבה ובטלים לגמרי אליו ית׳ כאילו אינן יש ודבר נפרד בפ״ע כלל
And the analogue will be understood: this is the difference in the stature of the Patriarchs and Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, who were the level of a chariot and entirely nullified to Him, may He be blessed, as though they were not a yesh (an existent) and a separate thing unto themselves at all,
Now the application: this is what set the Patriarchs and Moshe apart. They were a “chariot,” entirely nullified to G‑d, as though they were not separate beings at all.
ולא פסקו תמידי מלקשר דעתם בבטול הנ״ל אפי׳ רגע א׳ לכן היו מרכבה לבחי׳ זרועות עולם1 שלמעלה מבחי׳ כסא ומסך.
and they never ceased, even for one moment, binding their minds in the self-nullification (bittul) mentioned above. Therefore they were a chariot for the level of “the everlasting arms,” which is above the level of the Throne and screen
They never stopped, even for a moment, binding their minds to G‑d in this self-nullification. Therefore they were a chariot for “the everlasting arms,” the supernal hands, which are above the Throne and its screen.
(וכמ״ש באגה״ק2 ד״ה איהו וחיוהי וז״ל ואף גם לאחר שירדו הנר״נ דאצי׳ לעוה״ז לצדיקים הראשונים אפשר שלא נשתנה מהותן3 להיות דבר נפרד מאלקות כו׳ יעו״ש) ולמעלה מבחי׳ רגל כו׳.
(as is written in Iggeres HaKodesh, in the discourse beginning “He and His life-force,” and this is its wording: “And even after the nefesh, ruach and neshamah of Atzilus (Emanation) descended into this world, to the early tzaddikim, it is possible that their essence did not change so as to become a thing separate from G‑dliness,” etc.; see there) and above the level of the foot, etc.
The Alter Rebbe cites Iggeres HaKodesh (epistle 20 in Tanya): even after souls of Atzilus came down into this world in the early tzaddikim, their essence may not have changed into something separate from G‑dliness. Such souls are above the level of the foot.
משא״כ שאר נשמות הצדיקים שלא הגיעו לבחי׳ וגדר בטול זה התמידי רק שמעוררים בנפשם הבטול והתפעלות
Whereas the other souls of the tzaddikim, who did not reach the level and degree of this constant self-nullification, but [only] arouse in their soul the self-nullification and the stirring
Other righteous souls did not reach this constant self-nullification. They must arouse self-nullification and feeling within themselves.
האוי״ר ה״ז בחי׳ רגל שבטילה ג״כ להשכלרק שאינו ממילא וצ״ל צווי והמשכה מהשכל והוא ענין המשכת ההתבוננות לעורר את האהבה כו׳.
of love and awe: this is the level of the foot, which is also nullified to the intellect, only that it does not happen of itself, and there must be a command and a drawing forth from the intellect. And this is the matter of drawing out contemplation in order to arouse the love, etc.
Love and awe that have to be stirred up in this way are the level of the foot: it too obeys the mind, but only by command. This is the work of drawing out a contemplation in order to arouse the love of G‑d.
The Patriarchs and Moshe, constantly and effortlessly nullified to G‑d like hands that follow the mind, were a chariot for the supernal arms above the Throne; other righteous souls, who must arouse their love through contemplation, are like feet that move only on command.
In the epistle the Alter Rebbe adds that, because those souls remained unchanged, they would depart when they wished to sin, before they could sin. The Kehot note cites the maamar “Pasach Eliyahu” of 5658 (in the glosses on Torah Ohr), section 2: these are souls of actual Atzilus that descended only by passing through Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, and therefore even below they remain Atzilus.
Marei mekomos
- 1זרועות עולם · Deuteronomy 33:27
- 2וכמ״ש באגה״ק · סי׳ כ (קל, א). וראה שם בליקוט פי׳ — חיטריק.
- 3אפשר שלא נשתנה מהותן · ראה ד״ה פתח אלי׳ תרנ״ח (הגהות לתו״א) אות ב. היינו בבחי׳ נשמות דאצילות ממש שירדו רק בדרך מעביר בריאה יצירה עשי׳ ולזאת גם למטה הן אצי׳ ע״ש.
23ולכן אמר משה רבינו ע״ה על אנשי דורו אע״פ שהיו דור דעה שש מאות אלף רגלי1 כו׳ משא״כ הוא עצמו אשר אנכי בקרבו למעלה מבחי׳ רגל וכמ״ש לקמן אי״ה.
Therefore Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, said of the people of his generation, even though they were the “generation of knowledge,” “Six hundred thousand on foot,” etc.; whereas he himself, “in whose midst I am,” [was] above the level of the foot, as will be written below, G‑d willing.
That is why Moshe called the people of his generation “six hundred thousand on foot,” though they were the “generation of knowledge” that received the Torah. He himself, “in whose midst I am,” was above the level of the foot, as will be explained later.
אך זהו דרך כלל נק׳ הנשמה בחי׳ רגל. אך דרך פרט כל נשמה היא ציור אדם ויש בה ג״כ בחי׳ יד ורגל
However, this is [how], in general, the soul is called the level of the foot. But in detail, every soul is the form of a man and also has in it the level of hand and foot.
But this is only the general picture, in which the soul as a whole is a “foot.” In detail, every soul has the full form of a man, with its own “hands” and “feet.”
והנה דו״ר טבעיים היינו האהבה הטבעית המסותרת נק׳ בחי׳ רגל אבל בחי׳ דו״ר שכליים נק׳ ידים שמתאחדים עם השכל והמוחין.
Now, natural awe and love (dechilu urechimu), that is, the natural hidden love, are called the level of the foot; but the level of intellectual awe and love is called “hands,” for they are united with the intellect and the mind (mochin).
Natural love and awe, the inborn hidden love, are the soul’s “feet.” Love and awe that are born of understanding are its “hands,” since they are united with the intellect.
In general all souls are “feet” compared with Moshe, but within each soul there are also “feet,” natural love and awe, and “hands,” love and awe that come from understanding.
Marei mekomos
- 1שש מאות אלף רגלי · Numbers 11:21
24ומבחי׳ דו״ר טבעיים יגיע לבחי׳ דו״ר שכליים. והיינו בק״ש באמרו שמע ישראל1 ה׳ אלהינו שהוא בחי׳ שרש נשמתו בחי׳ מזליה חזי כו׳.
And from the level of natural awe and love one will reach the level of intellectual awe and love. That is, in the reading of the Shema, when he says, “Hear, O Israel, Havayah is our G‑d,” which is the level of the root of his soul, the level of “his mazal sees,” etc.
From natural love one should rise to love born of understanding. This happens in the Shema: in “Hear, O Israel, Havayah is our G‑d,” one touches the root of one’s soul, the level of “his mazal sees.”
שהוא מיוחד ממש עם אלקות ומשם יאיר ומתגלה להיות ואהבת שיהי׳ הוי״ה אלקיך2 שיהי׳ גילוי יחוד זה ג״כ למטה בהתלבשות הנשמה בגוף כמ״ש במ״א:
For it is truly united with G‑dliness, and from there it will shine forth and be revealed, so that there be “And you shall love”: that Havayah be “your G‑d,” that is, that this revelation of unity be below as well, in the soul’s enclothing in the body, as is explained elsewhere.
That root is truly one with G‑dliness, and from there it shines down so that “you shall love Havayah your G‑d”: Havayah becomes “your” G‑d, and this unity is revealed even in the soul as it is clothed in the body.
In the Shema the soul’s root, which is one with G‑d, is revealed below, raising natural love into a conscious love of G‑d.
Marei mekomos
- 1שמע ישראל ה׳ אלהינו · Deuteronomy 6:4
- 2ואהבת שיהי׳ הוי״ה אלקיך · Deuteronomy 6:5
Letters: horses, stones and a house ¶25–27
25והנה ידוע דירידת הנשמה בעוה״ז (מאיגרא רמה1 בחי׳ טהורה היא לבחי׳ עשייה נפחתה בי) הוא צורך עלייה והיינו ע״י אותיות התורה וכמ״ש במ״א שהאותיות2 נקראים סוסים כמ״ש כי תרכב על סוסיך.3
Now, it is known that the descent of the soul into this world (“from a high roof,” the level of “it is pure,” to the level of Asiyah (Action), “You breathed it into me”) is for the sake of an ascent; and this is through the letters of the Torah, as is explained elsewhere that the letters are called “horses,” as it is written, “For You ride upon Your horses.”
The soul’s descent into this world, “from a high roof” (to a deep pit, in the Talmud’s phrase), from “it is pure” down to Asiyah, “You breathed it into me,” is for the sake of an ascent. The ascent comes through the letters of the Torah, which are called “horses,” as in Habakkuk’s “For You ride upon Your horses.”
דכמו שהסוס יעלה ויביא את האדם הרוכב עליו למקום שלא יוכל לילך כ״כ בעצמו. כך אותיות התורה מעלים ומגביהים הנפש למעלה מעלה. ויש אותיות שהן בחי׳ העלאה.
For just as the horse will raise and carry the person riding on it to a place he would not be able to go so far on his own, so the letters of the Torah raise and elevate the soul higher and higher. There are letters that are the level of raising up,
A horse carries its rider to places he could not reach on his own; so the letters of the Torah lift the soul higher and higher. Some letters serve this raising up.
ויש אותיות שהן בחינת הבאה והמשכה דהיינו מבחי׳ סוכ״ע לבחי׳ ממכ״ע מההעלם אל הגלוי וזהו פי׳ לשון אותיות לשון הבאה כמו אתא ואייתי מתניתא בידיה.4 ואתה מרבבת קדש.5
and there are letters that are the level of bringing and drawing down, that is, from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) to the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), from concealment to revelation. And this is the meaning of the word osiyos (letters): an expression of bringing, as in “he came and brought a baraisa in his hand,” and “And He came from the holy myriads.”
Other letters bring down, drawing the light that surrounds all worlds into the light that fills them, from concealment into revelation. The word osiyos (letters) itself means “bringing,” from the root of “coming,” as in the Talmud’s “he came and brought a baraisa in his hand” and Moshe’s blessing, “And He came from the holy myriads.”
The soul descends in order to ascend, and the vehicle both of the ascent and of drawing the light down is the letters of the Torah, the “horses” of the verse.
Marei mekomos
- 1מאיגרא רמה · Chagigah 4b
- 2וכמ״ש במ״א שהאותיות נק׳ סוסים · עי׳ לעיל סב, ג. ולקמן צא, ב. צז, ד. ובכ״מ.
- 3כי תרכב על סוסך · Habakkuk 3:8
- 4אתא ואייתי מתניתא בידי׳ · Shabbat 19b:2
- 5ואתה מרבבת קודש · Deuteronomy 33:2
26והנה האותיות נק׳ ג״כ בשם אבנים בס׳ יצירה שני אבנים בונות1 שתי בתים כו׳. כי אבן הוא בחי׳ דומם והוא בחינה תחתונה מן ד׳ בחי׳ ארמ״ע ודצח״מ.
Now, the letters are also called by the name “stones” in Sefer Yetzirah: “Two stones build two houses,” etc. For a stone is the level of the inanimate, and it is the lowest level of the four levels of fire, air, water and earth, and of inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking.
Sefer Yetzirah also calls the letters “stones”: “Two stones build two houses,” meaning that two letters can be combined into two words, three into six, and so on. A stone is “inanimate,” the lowest of the four elements (fire, air, water, earth) and of the four kingdoms (inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking).
וכך האותיות הם גם כן מדרגה תחתונה ובחי׳ דומם לגבי השכל והמדות שהן בחי׳ חי וצומח כמ״ש במ״א.
So too the letters are the lowest level, the level of the inanimate, relative to the intellect and the emotive attributes (middos), which are the level of the animal and the vegetative, as is explained elsewhere.
So too the letters are the lowest, “inanimate” level compared with intellect and emotion, which are like the “living” and “growing” levels.
אך ע״ז אמר דהע״ה אבן מאסו הבונים2 היתה לראש פנה שאע״פ שהאותיות הנק׳ אבנים הם למטה מהשכל והמדות אעפ״כ הם מעלים השכל והמדות למעלה ומדרגה הגבוה יותר מהחכמה.3
But of this King Dovid, peace be upon him, said, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone”: for although the letters, which are called “stones,” are below the intellect and the emotive attributes, nevertheless they raise the intellect and the emotive attributes upward, to a level higher than Chochmah (wisdom).
Yet King Dovid said, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone”: the letters, though lower than intellect and emotion, raise them higher, even above Chochmah (wisdom).
Letters are “stones,” the lowest level compared with thought and feeling, yet like the rejected cornerstone they lift thought and feeling above wisdom itself.
Marei mekomos
- 1
- 2אבן מאסו הבונים · Psalms 118:22
- 3בספר יצירה · פ״ד מט״ז. וראה לעיל נו, ב.
27וכנ״ל בענין בחי׳ סוסים כו׳. והיינו כמארז״ל דהרהור לא עביד מידי12 ובד״ת ג״כ כתיב למוצאיהם בפה דוקא.3
[This is] as mentioned above regarding the level of “horses,” etc. And this is as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, that “thought does nothing,” and of the words of Torah, too, it is written, “to those who find them (lemotza’eihem),” [that is, who utter them] specifically with the mouth.
This is like the “horses” above. The Sages said that “thought does nothing” (Zohar 3:105a), and the Talmud reads Proverbs 4:22, “they are life to those who find them (lemotza’eihem),” as “to those who utter them with the mouth”: words of Torah must be spoken.
והענין כמו עד״מ מהאבנים עושים בית לדירת האדם וא״א לדור בלי בית כך ע״י אותיות התורה ממשיכים גילוי אור א״ס ב״ה בחי׳ סוכ״ע שיהיה שוכן ומתלבש באותיות התורה
The matter is like this: by way of analogy, from stones one makes a house for a person to dwell in, and it is impossible to dwell without a house; so too, through the letters of the Torah one draws down a revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), so that it dwells and is enclothed in the letters of the Torah
As a house built of stones lets a person live in it, so the letters of the Torah draw down the Infinite Light, the light that surrounds all worlds, so that it dwells and is clothed in them.
(וההמשכה היא מבחי׳ א״ס ב״ה כי לא אדם הוא4 שיהיה נמשך ומתלבש למטה בבחי׳ כמראה אדם ולכן ההמשכה דוקא ע״י בית בחי׳ אותיות
(and the drawing down is from the level of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, for “He is not a man,” that He should be drawn down and enclothed below in the level of “like the appearance of a man”; therefore the drawing down is specifically through a house, the level of letters,
That drawing down comes from the Infinite One Himself, who “is not a man,” too high to be clothed in the form of a man. Therefore it comes only through a “house,” the letters.
כמו שהבית הוא בחי׳ מקיף על האדם ולמעלה ממנו כו׳ ועמ״ש במ״א ע״פ מזוזה מימין5 כו׳ נר מצוה כו׳) וזהו לשון מקרא קורא בתורה כאדם שקורא לחבירו שיבוא אצלו.
just as a house is the level of something encompassing (makif) a person and above him, etc.; and see what is written elsewhere on “The mezuzah on the right,” etc., “a mitzvah is a lamp,” etc.). And this is the expression mikra, “one who reads (korei) in the Torah,” like a person who calls (korei) his friend to come to him.
A house surrounds a person and is above him, like an encompassing light (makif); the Alter Rebbe refers to his discussion of the mezuzah and of the lamp of a mitzvah. And mikra, Scripture, is related to korei, “calling”: reading Torah is like calling a friend to come.
So too, through the level of the letters of the Torah he calls the Holy One, blessed be He, to be revealed below; as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, reads and repeats opposite him.”
So by reading the letters of the Torah one calls the Holy One, blessed be He, to be revealed below. As Tanna Devei Eliyahu says, “The Holy One, blessed be He, reads and repeats opposite him.”
פי׳ הקב״ה הוא בחי׳ סוכ״ע קורא ושונה ג״כ אותיות הללו דהיינו שנמשך לבא מהעלם אל הגלוי ומה שאמרו כנגדו
This means that the Holy One, blessed be He, who is the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, also reads and repeats these letters, that is, He is drawn to come from concealment to revelation. And as for their saying “opposite him,”
That is, the Holy One, the light that surrounds all worlds, also “reads” these letters, meaning He comes from concealment into revelation. The Alter Rebbe then turns to the word “opposite him.”
היינו לפי שגלוי זה נמשך לבחי׳ נשמות הנבראים שהם בחי׳ בע״ג וא״א להן להכיל גילוי אוא״ס הבלתי בעל גבול ע״כ אמר כנגדו
that is because this revelation is drawn to the level of the souls of created beings, which are the level of the limited, and it is impossible for them to contain the revelation of the Infinite Light, which is without limit; therefore it says “opposite him,”
It says “opposite him” because the revelation reaches souls and creatures, which are limited and cannot contain the Infinite Light as it is. It therefore comes to them in words that correspond to their own.
כי דבר ה׳ זו הלכה8 והקב״ה קורא דברי׳ אלו כנגד האדם הקורא מלמעלה למטה כו׳.
for “the word of G‑d: this is halachah,” and the Holy One, blessed be He, reads these words opposite the person who reads, from above to below, etc.
For “the word of G‑d: this is halachah” (Shabbos 138b): the words of Torah are G‑d’s own word, and the Holy One reads these same words, from above to below, opposite the person who reads them.
The letters of the Torah, spoken aloud, are a “house” that draws down the encompassing Infinite Light; when a person reads, G‑d reads the same words opposite him, revealing Himself within the reader’s limits.
Marei mekomos
- 1כמארז״ל דהרהור לא עביד מידי · ראה זהר אמור קה, א.
- 2דהרהור לא עביד מידי · Zohar, Emor 45:290–47:300
- 3ובד״ת . . כתיב למוצאיהם בפה דוקא · Proverbs 4:22
- 4כי לא אדם הוא · I Samuel 15:29
- 5ועמ״ש במ״א ע״פ מזוזה מימין · לעיל מב, א.
- 6הקב״ה קורא ושונה כנגדו · תדב״א רבה רפי״ח.
- 7הקב״ה קורא ושונה כנגדו · Tanna DeBei Eliyahu Rabbah 18:1–2
- 8דבר ה׳ זו הלכה · Shabbat 138b:11–12
Stones and bricks ¶28–30
28וע״פ כל הנ״ל נבואה לבאור הפסוק ותחת רגליו כמעשה לבנת הספיר כו׳ כי הנה נת׳ שהאותיות נק׳ אבנים והנה באבנים יש שני מדרגות.
In light of all the above, we come to the explanation of the verse, “And under His feet was like the work of the brick of sapphire,” etc. For it has been explained that the letters are called “stones.” Now, among stones there are two grades.
With all this in place, the Alter Rebbe comes to explain “under His feet was like the work of the brick (livnas) of sapphire.” The letters, as explained, are called “stones,” and there are two kinds of stones.
הא׳ אבנים ממש שהן בריאה בידי שמים. והב׳ האבן הנעשה בידי אדם והיא הלבינה שנעשית מן העפר ע״י בני אדם שנעשית ג״כ חזקה וקשה והיא נק׳ ג״כ אבן
The first is actual stones, which are a creation by the hand of Heaven. And the second is the stone made by human hands, namely the brick, which is made from earth by human beings; it too becomes strong and hard, and it too is called “stone,”
One kind is natural stone, created by Heaven. The other is man-made stone, the brick, formed from earth by human beings, which also becomes strong and hard and is likewise called “stone.”
כמ״ש הבה נלבנה לבנים1 ונשרפה לשרפה ותהי להם הלבנה לאבן כו׳ וכידוע ומפורסם שגם הן הלבנים יבנו בנין בית חומה כמו מן האבנים.
as it is written, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly, and the brick served them as stone,” etc. And as is known and well established, with bricks too one builds a building, a house, a wall, just as with stones.
So the builders of Babel said, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly,” and “the brick served them as stone” (Genesis 11:3). Bricks, like stones, are used to build houses and walls.
אך שצריך תחלה הכנה איך לעשות הלבנים שיהיו חזקים ומתקיימים והוא ע״י שישרפו אותם בכבשן האש וכנ״ל באמרם נלבנה לבנים ונשרפה לשרפה ואז דייקא ותהי להם הלבנה לאבן
Only, there first needs to be a preparation, how to make the bricks so that they will be strong and durable; and this is by burning them in a fiery kiln, as mentioned above in their saying, “Let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly,” and then specifically, “the brick served them as stone,”
But bricks must first be prepared so that they will be strong and lasting: they are fired in a kiln. Only after “let us burn them thoroughly” does the verse say “and the brick served them as stone.”
והיא האבן הנעשה בידי אדם ולא בעצם תולדתם כמו אבנים ממש שהן בריאה בידי שמים.
and this is the stone made by human hands, and not by their very nature, like actual stones, which are a creation by the hand of Heaven.
Such a brick is a stone made by human hands, not by its own nature, unlike natural stones, which are a creation of Heaven.
There are two kinds of “stone”: natural stone made by Heaven, and brick made by human hands, which becomes stone only after it is fired in the kiln.
Marei mekomos
- 1הבה נלבנה לבנים · Genesis 11:3
The analogue of these two levels of stones will also be understood spiritually, regarding the letters that are called “stones”: they too have two levels.
In the spiritual realm, the letters, which are called “stones,” also come in these two kinds.
הא׳ בחי׳ בריאה בידי שמים ונק׳ אבנים. והב׳ בחי׳ הנעשה בידי אדם ונק׳ לבינים. והיינו
The first is the level of a creation by the hand of Heaven, and it is called “stones.” And the second is the level of what is made by human hands, and it is called “bricks.” That is,
One kind is “created by Heaven” and called “stones.” The other is “made by human hands” and called “bricks.”
כי בחי׳ אותיות התורה הם נק׳ אבנים שהתורה היא מן השמים וידבר ה׳ אל משה והוא נק׳ לשון הקודש שנמשך מבחי׳ קדש העליון.
the level of the letters of the Torah is called “stones,” for the Torah is from Heaven, “and G‑d spoke to Moshe,” and it is called the Holy Tongue, for it is drawn from the level of supernal holiness (kodesh ha’elyon).
The letters of the Torah are “stones,” for the Torah is from Heaven: “And G‑d spoke to Moshe.” Its language is called the Holy Tongue because it is drawn from the level of supernal holiness.
אך בחי׳ הלבינים היינו אותיות של ע׳ לשון מלשונות האומות אשר כל עם ועם מדבר כלשונו.
But the level of bricks is the letters of the seventy tongues, of the languages of the nations, where each and every people speaks according to its own language.
The “bricks” are the letters of the seventy languages of the nations, in which each people speaks its own tongue.
The letters of the Torah, given from Heaven, are natural “stones”; the letters of the world’s languages are “bricks,” which become stone only through human effort.
Marei mekomos
- 1בענין האותיות . . שיש בהם ג״כ ב׳ בחי׳ · בלקו״ת שה״ש כח, א מציין לכאן.
Now, it is written, “For like the four winds of the heavens I have spread you out,” that is, Israel is dispersed among the seventy nations and also speaks the language of each and every people
Zechariah says, “Like the four winds of the heavens I have spread you out”: Israel is scattered among the nations and speaks the language of each people.
שהם דרים בתוכם בכל צרכי מו״מ ואחר כך כשמתפללים במס״נ בכוונה ולומדים תורה לשמה מיגיעת העסק במו״מ
among whom they dwell, in all the needs of commerce. And afterward, when they pray with self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh), with concentration, and study Torah for its own sake, out of the toil of their occupation in commerce,
Jews use those languages in all their business dealings. Afterward, coming from the toil of business, they pray with self-sacrifice and concentration and study Torah for its own sake.
אזי מעלים כל צירופי אותיות שדברו בהם למעלה מעלה לשרש נשמתם שהיא בחי׳ טהורה היא טהירו עלאה שלפני ההשתלשלות.
then they raise all the combinations of letters in which they spoke higher and higher, to the root of their soul, which is the level of “it is pure,” the tehiru ila’ah (supernal brightness) that precedes the chain of descent (hishtalshelus).
Then they raise all the combinations of letters in which they spoke higher and higher, to the root of their soul, “it is pure,” the supernal brightness that comes before the chain of worlds.
וזהו הנק׳ חולין שנעשו על טהרת הקדש.2 פי׳ כי לה״קנמשך מבחי׳ קדש העליון משא״כ שאר לשונות הם חול
And this is what is called “unconsecrated things (chullin) prepared in the purity of the holy.” This means: the Holy Tongue is drawn from the level of supernal holiness, whereas the other languages are profane (chol);
This is what the Sages call “unconsecrated food prepared in the purity of holy food.” The Holy Tongue comes from supernal holiness, while the other languages are profane, chol.
אבל כשמתבררים ע״י התפלה כנ״ל (וגם כשמדברים בהם להבין התורה וכמו בגמ׳ יש כמה מלות לשון ארמי3 הכי השתא אי אמרת בשלמא) הרי הם נעשים על טהרת הקדש בחי׳ קדש העליון וטה״ע.
but when they are refined through prayer, as mentioned above (and also when one speaks in them in order to understand the Torah, just as in the Gemara there are a number of words in the Aramaic language: hachi hashta (“is this so now?”), i amrat bishlama (“it is well if you say”)), they become [prepared] in the purity of the holy, the level of supernal holiness and the supernal brightness (tehiru ila’ah).
When these languages are refined through prayer, or used to understand Torah, as the Talmud uses Aramaic phrases like hachi hashta and i amrat bishlama, they become “prepared in the purity of the holy,” raised to supernal holiness and the supernal brightness.
וה״ז כמשל הלבינים שהגם שהן עפר פשוט מ״מ ע״י מעשה ידי אדם נעשים ג״כ קשים וחזקים בבחי׳ אבן כנ״ל עד שבונים מהם חומה כו׳ ואני חומה זו תורה4 כו׳.
This is like the analogy of the bricks: although they are simple earth, nevertheless through the work of human hands they too become hard and strong, at the level of stone, as mentioned above, so much so that one builds a wall from them, etc.; and “I am a wall”: this is Torah, etc.
This is the brick: plain earth that human work makes as hard and strong as stone, until walls are built of it. So the Sages read “I am a wall” (Song of Songs 8:10) as referring to Torah.
ואמנם הנה א״א שיתהפכו ויתבררו הצירופי אותיות (דחולין להיות נעשים עטה״ק) הנ״ל להיות נק׳ אבני קודש כ״א
However, it is impossible for the combinations of letters mentioned above (of the chullin, to become [prepared] in the purity of the holy) to be transformed and refined, so as to be called “holy stones,” except
The letter-combinations of the profane cannot be transformed and refined into “holy stones” by just any means. The next part names the one way it can be done.
ע״י המס״נ בק״ש דכמו משל הלבינים דצריך שישרפו אותן בכבשן תחלה כנ״ל וע״י השריפה יתהפכו להיות קשים וחזקים כאבנים.
through the self-sacrifice in the reading of the Shema; just as in the analogy of the bricks, which must first be burned in a kiln, as mentioned above, and through the burning they are transformed to become hard and strong like stones.
They are transformed only through the self-sacrifice of the Shema, just as bricks become hard as stone only by being fired in a kiln.
וכך הענין בעבודת ה׳ ענין שריפת הלבינים הוא ע״י שיתפללו בכוונה בהתלהבות אהוי״ר באמרו ואהבת בכל לבבך5 כו׳ ע״י זה נשרפים ונכללים אותיות הזרים מכל המו״מ שעוסק
So too is the matter in the service of G‑d: the burning of the bricks is through praying with concentration, with the fiery enthusiasm of love and awe, when he says, “And you shall love… with all your heart,” etc. Through this, the foreign letters of all the commerce in which he engages are burned and absorbed,
In serving G‑d, “firing the bricks” is praying with concentration and with a burning love and awe, as when one says “And you shall love… with all your heart.” This burns up and absorbs the foreign letters of all the business one is engaged in.
וגם כל החיות ושפע שנעשה מהן כמו מאכל ולבוש הכל עולים ונכללים באחדות בעבודת ה׳ כשמוסר נפשו באחד בהתלהבות.
and also all the life-force (chayus) and bounty that come from them, such as food and clothing: all of it ascends and is absorbed into the Oneness, in the service of G‑d, when he gives over his soul at [the word] “One” with fiery enthusiasm.
All the life and bounty that came from those dealings, such as food and clothing, also rise and are absorbed into G‑d’s Oneness, when one gives over one’s soul with fervor at the word “One” in the Shema.
אך צריך שהעסק במו״מ יהיה בקרירות ובע״כ שלא בתשוקה ממש רק כמו שכופין אותו עד שרוצה כדי להחיות נפשו ונפשות ביתו שיוכלו לעבוד את ה׳ כל ימי חלדם
But the occupation in commerce must be with coolness and against one’s will, not with real desire, but only as one who is compelled until he is willing, in order to sustain his soul and the souls of his household, so that they can serve G‑d all the days of their life,
But business must be done with coolness and reluctance, without real desire, like one who is compelled, only to support oneself and one’s household so that they can serve G‑d all their lives.
וכמו שארז״ל עשה תורתך קבע67 ומלאכתך עראי שעיקר המכוון בהמלאכהכדי שיהיה תורתך קבע ואז עי״ז יוכל להעלות בהאותיות אח״כ כנ״ל:8
as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Make your Torah fixed and your work occasional”: the main intent in the work is so that your Torah be fixed. And then, through this, he will be able afterward to raise up the letters, as mentioned above.
As the Sages said, “Make your Torah fixed and your work occasional”: the purpose of work is that Torah be fixed. Only then can one later raise the letters, as explained.
Jews scattered among the nations raise the letters of the nations’ languages to holiness through prayer with self-sacrifice and through Torah study, as bricks are fired into stone; for this, business must be done without real desire, only for the sake of serving G‑d.
Sefer HaMaamarim 5568 (p. 76) asks what connection Torah has with being called a “wall,” and on the next page explains why the verse is brought here; Likkutei Torah (Vaeschanan 10a) notes that the Talmud (Yevamos 62b) applies “I am a wall” to the Oral Torah, which guards the Torah like a wall. The Kehot note also remarks that the Aramaic phrases cited are the language of the Talmud, both Jerusalem and Babylonian, citing Rashi (Sotah 49b), who says that Syriac is close to Aramaic and is the language of the Jerusalem Talmud.
Marei mekomos
- 1כארבע רוחות השמים פרשתי אתכם · Zechariah 2:10
- 2חולין שנעשו על טהרת הקדש · Chagigah 19b:4–6
- 3בגמ׳ יש כמה מלות לשון ארמי · Sotah 49b:11–12
- 4ואני חומה זו תורה · Song of Songs 8:10
- 5ואהבת בכל לבבך · Deuteronomy 6:5
- 6עשה תורתך קבע · אבות פ״א מט״ו. ראה מאמרי אדה״א הנחות תקע״ז ע׳ קנז. סה״מ תרכ״ט ע׳ כז. תא. תרל״ג ע׳ קלז — בפי׳ קבע.
- 7עשה תורתך קבע · Pirkei Avot 1:15
- 8לה״ק נמשך מבחי׳ קדש העליון · ראה הגהת כ״ק אדמו״ר הצ״צ בסה״מ תקס״ח ע׳ סט. בענין לשון הקודש, ראה אוה״ת פ׳ ראה ע׳ קצח ואילך בשם הפרדס ושל״ה. נ״ך כרך ב ע׳ תתקד.
The brick of sapphire ¶31–33
31וזהו ותחת רגליו כמעשה לבנת הספיר1 כו׳ תחת רגליו דוקא דהנה מבואר למעלה בענין וישב ה׳ מלך לעולם שיש בחי׳ כסא כס א׳ המלביש ומכסה לאור הנמשך מבחי׳ כמראה אדם כו׳
And this is [the meaning of] “And under His feet was like the work of the brick of sapphire,” etc.: specifically “under His feet.” For it was explained above, regarding “And G‑d sat as King le’olam,” that there is the level of the Throne, kas alef, which clothes and covers the light drawn from the level of “like the appearance of a man,” etc.,
Now the verse: “And under His feet was like the work of the brick of sapphire” stresses “under His feet.” As explained, the Throne (kas alef) clothes and covers the light that comes from “like the appearance of a man.”
עד שיוכל להיות התהוות היש ודבר נפרד בבי״ע ובחי׳ התהוות היש זהו בחי׳ תחת רגליו והוא מ״ש ומלכותו בכל משלה2 היינו אפי׳ עד השרים כו׳
so that there can be the coming into being of the yesh (the existent) and separate thing in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah; and the level of the coming into being of the yesh is the level of “under His feet.” This is what is written, “And His kingship rules over all,” that is, even down to the princes, etc.;
This covering lets the separate yesh come into being in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, and that level is “under His feet.” It is the meaning of “His kingship rules over all” (Psalms 103:19), even down to the “princes,” the powers appointed over the nations.
משא״כ בחי׳ יד הוא למעלה מבחי׳ כסא ואין שם בחי׳ יש ודבר נפרד רק איהו וגרמוהי חד. ע״כ אמר ותחת רגליו שהוא למטה מבחי׳ כסא הנ״ל שם הוא בחי׳ לבנת הספיר.
whereas the level of the hand is above the level of the Throne, and there there is no level of yesh and separate thing, only “He and His causations are one.” Therefore it says, “And under His feet,” which is below the level of the Throne mentioned above: there is the level of “the brick of sapphire.”
The level of the hand is above the Throne, where there is no separate existence at all, only the oneness of G‑d with the Sefiros through which He acts. So the verse places the brick of sapphire “under His feet,” below the Throne.
פי׳ לבנת הוא מענין בחי׳ לבינים הנ״ל שהוא בירור והעלאת האותיות של הע׳ לשון שלאחר הבירור הם בחי׳ לבנת הספיר שמאירים כספירים3 וכמ״ש מקום ספיר אבניה לא ידע אנוש ערכה.45
The meaning is: livnas (“the brick of”) is from the matter of the level of bricks mentioned above, which is the refinement and elevation of the letters of the seventy tongues; after the refinement they are the level of “the brick of sapphire,” for they shine like sapphires, as it is written, “Its stones are the place of sapphire”; “man does not know its worth.”
Livnas, “brick of,” recalls the bricks described above: the refining and raising of the letters of the seventy languages, which once refined shine like sapphires. Job says of the earth, “its stones are the place of sapphire,” and of wisdom, “man does not know its worth.”
(והגם שהאותיות הללו נעשים בידי אדם ולא בידי שמים מ״מ ע״י המס״נ בק״ש נתבררו כ״כ עד שנק׳ ספיר וכמ״ש אשר ברא אלקים לעשות.6 לעשות לתקן בידי אדם7 וע׳ בע״ח)
(And although these letters are made by human hands and not by the hand of Heaven, nevertheless through the self-sacrifice in the reading of the Shema they have been refined so much that they are called “sapphire,” as it is written, “which G‑d created to make”: “to make” [means] to rectify by human hands. And see Etz Chaim.)
Though these letters are made by human hands, not by Heaven, self-sacrifice in the Shema refines them until they are called “sapphire.” Genesis 2:3 says G‑d created “to make,” which the Midrash reads as “to rectify”: creation is left for human beings to perfect.
ולקרב הדבר אל השכל איך אפשר שאותיות של ע׳ לשון יתעלו כ״כ ע״י עסק התפלה והתורה להיות ג״כ כמו אבני קדש עד שנק׳ לבנת הספיר.
And to bring the matter closer to the intellect: how is it possible that the letters of the seventy tongues should be elevated so much, through occupation in prayer and Torah, as to become, too, like holy stones, so much so that they are called “the brick of sapphire”?
To make this reasonable, the Alter Rebbe asks: how can the letters of the seventy languages rise so high through prayer and Torah that they become like holy stones, a “brick of sapphire”?
אך הענין דהנה אנו רואים שבכל עם ועם המדבר כלשונו עכ״ז אין בכל לשון רק הברת הכ״ב צירופי אותיות שבה׳ מוצאות הידועים אחה״ע מהגרון כו׳
But the matter is this: we see that in each and every people, which speaks its own language, nevertheless in every language there is only the pronunciation of the twenty-two combinations of letters, in the five well-known points of articulation: alef, ches, hei, ayin from the throat, etc.,
The answer: every people speaks its own language, yet every language uses the sounds of the same twenty-two letters, produced in the same five places of the mouth: alef, ches, hei, ayin from the throat, and so on.
כמו בלה״ק רק השינוי בין שאר לשונות ללה״ק הוא בלשון שצירוף בשר של לה״ק8 דאותיות אלו
just as in the Holy Tongue. Only, the difference between the other languages and the Holy Tongue is in the language [itself]: that the combination basar (flesh) in the Holy Tongue, these letters
So it is in the Holy Tongue as well. The difference between the Holy Tongue and other languages lies in the words themselves, as the example of basar (flesh) will show.
בי״ת שי״ן רי״ש הן מחי׳ ממש את הבשר בדבר ה׳ בשימ״ב משא״כ בשאר הלשונות שהם הסכמיים כמ״ש בפרדס שער האותיות ובשל״ה.9
bet, shin, resh, actually give life to the flesh, by the word of G‑d in the six days of creation; which is not so in the other languages, which are conventional, as is written in Pardes, in Shaar HaOtiyos (the Gate of the Letters), and in the Shelah.
In the Holy Tongue the letters bet, shin, resh actually give life to flesh, for they are G‑d’s word from the six days of creation; in other languages words are only agreed conventions, as Pardes (Shaar HaOtiyos) and the Shelah explain.
The “brick of sapphire” under His feet is the letters of the world’s languages, refined below the Throne through self-sacrifice until they shine; this is possible because all languages share the same twenty-two letters, though only in the Holy Tongue are the words G‑d’s creative speech itself.
A talk of Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim 5749 (note 121) remarks that the Alter Rebbe chose the example of basar, “flesh,” though it does not affect the argument, to hint that the refinement of the lowest level, the seventy languages, reaches even into the flesh. The Kehot note also records two views of the color of sapphire: white, in the opinion of Rav Saadia Gaon, and sky-blue, in the opinion of the Ibn Ezra.
Marei mekomos
- 1ותחת רגליו כמעשה לבנת הספיר · Exodus 24:10
- 2ומלכותו בכל משלה · Psalms 103:19
- 3לבנת הספיר שמאירים כספירים · ראה אוה״ת פ׳ משפטים ע׳ א׳רפו. ובס׳ החקירה ע, ב ב׳ פי׳ בספיר א׳ דעת רבינו סעדי׳ גאון שהוא גוון לבן, והב׳ דעת האבן עזרא שהוא תכלת ע״ש. ועיין באוה״ת בראשית כרך א׳ קז, ב. וביאוה״ז לכ״ק אדמו״ר הצ״צ ע׳ עב.
- 4מקום ספיר אבני׳ לא ידע אנוש ערכה · Job 28:6
- 5לא ידע אנוש ערכה · Job 28:13
- 6אשר ברא אלקים לעשות · Genesis 2:3
- 7לעשות לתקן בידי אדם · ראה פרש״י לב״ר פי״א, ז. וראה לעיל יז, ד. תו״ח בראשית כ, ג. כה, ג.
- 8שצירוף בשר של לה״ק · ראה בשיחת ש״פ משפטים תשמ״ט הערה 121: ”שרבינו הזקן נקט דוגמא מ”בשר” דוקא . . ולכאורה אי״ז נוגע לתוכן הענין המבואר . . ע״ד החילוק שבין לה״ק לשאר הלשונות — לרמז שבירור התחתון (ע׳ לשון) הוא באופן שחודר אפילו ב”בשר” עכ״ל.
- 9בפרדס שער האותיות ובשל״ה · פ״א. בשל״ה בתחלתו בחלק בית נאמן, בטעם שנקרא לשון הקדש. ראה אוה״ת וארא ע׳ קצח.
Likewise, the shape of the letters of the Ashuri script alludes to wondrous matters, for Rabbi Akiva would expound upon every tip (kotz), etc.;
The shapes of the letters in the Ashuri script, the square script of the Torah scroll, also allude to wondrous things. The Talmud tells that Rabbi Akiva would derive heaps of laws from every tip (kotz) of the letters.
וכ״ז אינו כלל וכלל בשאר כתבים ולשונות. אבל עכ״ז הברת כ״ב אותיות יש בהן ג״כ בשוה.
and none of this exists at all in other scripts and languages. But nevertheless, the pronunciation of the twenty-two letters is present in them too, equally.
Nothing of this kind exists in other scripts and languages. Yet the sounds of the twenty-two letters are found equally in all of them.
The Holy Tongue differs from other languages in its words and in the very shapes of its letters, but all languages share the sounds of the same twenty-two letters.
Marei mekomos
- 1ר״ע הי׳ דורש על כל קוץ · Menachot 29b:3–4
33וידוע דשורש כ״ב בחי׳ אותיות אלו נמשכים ממקום גבוה מאד ולמעלה מהשכל רק שקבען בפה כו׳
And it is known that the root of these twenty-two kinds of letters is drawn from a very lofty place, above the intellect; only that “He fixed them in the mouth,” etc.
The root of the twenty-two letters is very lofty, above intellect; only afterward, in the classic phrase, “He fixed them in the mouth,” in the five places where speech is formed.
א״כ על כל פנים אנו רואים שגם ע׳ לשון יש שרש להאותיות למעלה לכך יוכלו להתעלות1 ע״י מס״נ בק״ש כנ״ל וזהו בחי׳ לבנת הספיר שהוא תחת רגליו
If so, at any rate we see that the seventy tongues too have a root for their letters above; therefore they can be elevated through self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) in the reading of the Shema, as mentioned above. And this is the level of “the brick of sapphire,” which is “under His feet,”
So even the seventy languages have a lofty root for their letters, and that is why they can be raised through self-sacrifice in the Shema. This is the “brick of sapphire” that is “under His feet.”
דהיינו בבירור מבחי׳ נוגה ושם יש ג״כ כעצם השמים לטוהר2 שהוא בחי׳ אותיות התורה שהתורה היא מהשמים והאותיות הן מבחי׳ טה״ע
that is, in the refinement from the level of nogah. And there, there is also “like the very essence of the heavens in purity,” which is the level of the letters of the Torah, for the Torah is from Heaven, and the letters are from the level of tehiru ila’ah (the supernal brightness),
The brick of sapphire is the refinement of what is in nogah, the realm in which good and evil are mixed. There too is “like the very essence of the heavens in purity”: the letters of the Torah, which is from Heaven and whose letters come from the supernal brightness.
כמ״ש בזוהר גליף גליפו בטה״ע3 ונמשכה למטה ג״כ תחת רגליו בעשיה כנ״ל ונמצא לבנת הספיר ועצם השמים לטוהר הם בחינת ב׳ מיני אותיות הנ״ל
as is written in the Zohar, “He engraved engravings in the supernal brightness”; and it was drawn downward too, “under His feet,” into Asiyah, as mentioned above. It follows that “the brick of sapphire” and “the very essence of the heavens in purity” are the level of the two kinds of letters mentioned above,
As the Zohar says, “He engraved engravings in the supernal brightness”: the letters were first engraved there and then drawn down “under His feet” into Asiyah. So the “brick of sapphire” and “the very essence of the heavens in purity” are the two kinds of letters, those of the world’s languages and those of the Torah.
שע״י ב׳ מיני אותיות הנ״ל הוא עליית הנשמות אחר ירידתן שירדו מבחינת טהורה היא להיות בבחינת רגל כנ״ל וע״י ב׳ בחינת אותיות התורה הנ״ל שהם בבחינת תחת רגליו עי״ז הוא העלייה:
for through the two kinds of letters mentioned above comes the ascent of the souls after their descent, in which they descended from the level of “it is pure” to be at the level of the foot, as mentioned above; and through the two levels of the letters of the Torah mentioned above, which are at the level of “under His feet,” through this comes the ascent.
Through these two kinds of letters the souls ascend after their descent from “it is pure” to the level of the foot. Both are “under His feet,” and through them comes the ascent.
All languages have a lofty root, so their letters can be raised; the “brick of sapphire” and “the very essence of the heavens in purity” are the two kinds of letters, of the world and of the Torah, through which the descended soul rises again.
The handwritten manuscript adds here that the letters can be raised only under the conditions set out above: that business be conducted coolly and only as far as necessary, and through self-sacrifice.
Marei mekomos
- 1שו״ה רואים — להתעלות · בגוכתי״ק נוסף: עפ״י תנאי׳ הנ״ל שיהי׳ העסק במו״מ בקרירות וכפי הכרחי: וע״י מס״נ.
- 2כעצם השמים לטוהר · Exodus 24:10
- 3גליף גליפו בטה״ע · Zohar I, 15a
What the elders saw ¶34–37
34וזהו ויראו את אלקי ישראל.1 דהנה לעיל מניה כתיב ונגש משה לבדו אל הוי״ה והם לא יגשו2 כי שרש בחי׳ משה היה למעלה מבחי׳ כסא ה׳ המתלבש בבי״ע.
And this is [the meaning of] “And they saw the G‑d (Elokei) of Israel.” For just before it, it is written, “And Moshe alone shall approach Havayah, but they shall not approach,” because the root of the level of Moshe was above the level of the Throne of G‑d, which is enclothed in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah
Now the beginning of the verse, “And they saw the G‑d (Elokei) of Israel.” Just before it, the Torah says “Moshe alone shall approach Havayah, but they shall not approach” (Exodus 24:2), because Moshe’s root was above the Throne of G‑d that is clothed in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
(וכמש״ל בפי׳ רגלי העם אשר אנכי בקרבו) ולכן ניתנה התורה על ידו כי התורה ירדה מן השמים היינו שנמשכה מאצי׳ לבריאה דרך בחי׳ הכסא הנ״ל
(as was written above in the explanation of “on foot are the people in whose midst I am”). Therefore the Torah was given through him, for the Torah descended from Heaven, that is, it was drawn from Atzilus (Emanation) to Beriah (Creation) by way of the level of the Throne mentioned above
This was shown above from “the people in whose midst I am.” Therefore the Torah was given through Moshe: the Torah came down from Heaven, drawn from Atzilus to Beriah by way of the Throne.
(ועמ״ש במ״א בפי׳ השמים כסאי34 דקאי על התורה שירדה להיות בחי׳ כסא לגילוי רצונו וחכמתו כו׳. ועמ״ש בביאור למ״ש בלק״א פי״ג)
(and see what is written elsewhere on the interpretation of “The heavens are My Throne,” that it refers to the Torah, which descended to be the level of a throne for the revelation of His will and His wisdom, etc.; and see what is written in the explanation of what is written in Likkutei Amarim, chapter 13).
The Alter Rebbe refers to his explanation of “The heavens are My Throne” (Isaiah 66:1) as the Torah, which came down to be a “throne” for the revelation of G‑d’s will and wisdom. He also refers to his explanation of a passage in Likkutei Amarim (Tanya), chapter 13.
וכדי להמשיכו ולהורידו מאצי׳ לבריאה היא ע״י מרבע״ה ששרש השגתו היה בבחי׳ אצי׳ ממש וכמ״ש בו מן המים משיתיהו5 מבחי׳ מים עליונים שהוא בחי׳ אצי׳ כו׳.
And to draw it down and bring it down from Atzilus to Beriah is through Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, the root of whose comprehension was in the level of Atzilus itself, as it is written of him, “From the water I drew him”: from the level of the upper waters, which is the level of Atzilus, etc.
Drawing the Torah down from Atzilus to Beriah required Moshe, whose understanding was rooted in Atzilus itself. “From the water I drew him” (Exodus 2:10) alludes to the upper waters, the level of Atzilus.
וזהו תורה צוה לנו משה6 שהמשיך התורה מאצי׳ לבי״ע. משא״כ הזקנים לא היתה השגתם באצי׳ כלל רק בבריאה
And this is [the meaning of] “Moshe commanded us the Torah”: that he drew the Torah down from Atzilus to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. Whereas the elders’ comprehension was not in Atzilus at all, only in Beriah;
This is “Moshe commanded us the Torah” (Deuteronomy 33:4): he drew the Torah down from Atzilus into the lower worlds. The elders’ understanding, by contrast, did not reach Atzilus at all, only Beriah.
ולכן נאמר בהם ויראו את אלקי ישראל בחי׳ אלקי הוא מדת הצמצום וההסתר בחי׳ הכסא הנ״ל.
therefore it is said of them, “And they saw the G‑d (Elokei) of Israel”: the level of Elokei is the attribute of tzimtzum (contraction) and concealment, the level of the Throne mentioned above.
So of the elders it says “they saw the G‑d (Elokei) of Israel”: Elokei is the Name Elokim, the attribute of contraction and concealment, which is the level of the Throne.
משא״כ במשה כתיב ונגש אל7 הוי׳ שהוא בחי׳ שלמעלה מהצמצום דשם אלקים דהיינו למעלה מבחי׳ הכסא.
Whereas of Moshe it is written, “shall approach Havayah,” which is the level that is above the tzimtzum of the Name Elokim, that is, above the level of the Throne.
Of Moshe, however, it says that he “shall approach Havayah,” the level above the contraction of the Name Elokim, which is above the Throne.
Moshe, rooted in Atzilus above the Throne, approached Havayah and drew the Torah down; the elders, whose understanding was in Beriah, saw only “Elokei,” the level of the Throne’s concealment.
The Kehot note on “approach Havayah” also points to Parshas Yisro (Exodus 20), where Moshe “approached the thick cloud where G‑d was” while the people stood far off.
Marei mekomos
- 1ויראו את אלקי ישראל · Exodus 24:10
- 2ונגש משה לבדו אל הוי״ה והם לא יגשו · Exodus 24:2
- 3ועמ״ש במ״א בפי׳ השמים כסאי · ראה לעיל א, ב.
- 4השמים כסאי · Isaiah 66:1
- 5מן המים משיתיהו · Exodus 2:10
- 6תורה צוה לנו משה · Deuteronomy 33:4
- 7ונגש אל ה׳ · יתרו כ, יח.
35ולהיות שהשגת הזקנים היה מבחי׳ אלקים שהוא אחר ההעלם דכסא הנ״ל לכן שם ראו והשיגו בחי׳ לבנת הספיר ובחי׳ כעצם השמים1 שהם ב׳ בחי׳ אותיות הנ״ל
And since the elders’ comprehension was from the level of Elokim, which is after the concealment of the Throne mentioned above, therefore there they saw and comprehended the level of “the brick of sapphire” and the level of “like the very essence of the heavens,” which are the two levels of letters mentioned above;
Because the elders’ understanding came from Elokim, beneath the concealment of the Throne, what they saw there was the “brick of sapphire” and “the very essence of the heavens,” the two kinds of letters.
דהיינו שיש שם ג״כ מבחי׳ עצם השמים והוא אותיות התורה שניתנה מהשמים שהרי נמשכה ונתלבשה ג״כ תחת הכסא הנ״ל. וזהו בחי׳ אבני קדש.
that is, there is there also [something] of the level of “the very essence of the heavens,” which is the letters of the Torah that was given from Heaven, for it too was drawn down and enclothed beneath the Throne mentioned above. And this is the level of “holy stones.”
“The very essence of the heavens” is the letters of the Torah, given from Heaven, which were drawn down and clothed beneath the Throne as well. These are the “holy stones.”
ועוד יש שם ג״כ בחי׳ לבנת הספיר שהם אותיות המתבררים מע׳ לשון שבחי׳ אותיות אלו אינם דוקא רק תחת בחי׳ כסא כנ״ל באריכות:
And furthermore, there is there also the level of “the brick of sapphire,” which is the letters refined from the seventy tongues; for the level of these letters is specifically only beneath the level of the Throne, as explained above at length.
The “brick of sapphire” is the letters refined from the seventy languages, which exist only beneath the Throne, as explained at length above.
Since the elders saw from the level of Elokim, beneath the Throne, they perceived the two kinds of letters found there: the letters of the Torah and the refined letters of the world’s languages.
Marei mekomos
- 1כעצם השמים · Exodus 24:10
Now the second verse: G‑d “did not send forth His hand” to the nobles. G‑d’s “hand” is Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferes, which, like the arms and upper body, are close to the head.
הראש ומחוברין עמו והם למעלה מבחי׳ כסא והעלם ע״כ הזקנים לא זכו לגילוי זה מבחי׳ שלמעלה מהכסא דהיינו מבחי׳ הידים והשגתם היה רק ע״י הכסא.
the head and joined with it, and they are above the level of the Throne and concealment. Therefore the elders did not merit this revelation from the level that is above the Throne, that is, from the level of the hands; their comprehension was only through the Throne.
These attributes are joined to the “head” and are above the Throne and its concealment. So the elders did not merit the revelation from above the Throne, the “hands”; their understanding came only through the Throne.
“He did not send forth His hand” means that the elders did not receive the revelation of the supernal “hands,” which are above the Throne.
Marei mekomos
- 1ואל אצילי בני ישראל לא שלח ידו · Exodus 24:11
37וזהו ותחת רגליו כו׳ ולכן לא שלח ידו אליהם. והגם שנקר׳ אצילי בני ישראל1 וכמ״ש בהו ויאצל מן הרוח2 עכ״ז יש הפרש ביניהם למשה שהם לא השיגו רק הארת האצי׳ המתלבש בבריאה וכמ״ש ויראו את אלקי כו׳.
And this is “And under His feet,” etc., and therefore “He did not send forth His hand” to them. And although they are called “the nobles (atzilei) of the Children of Israel,” as it is written of them, “And He drew (vayatzel) from the spirit,” nevertheless there is a difference between them and Moshe: they comprehended only the radiance of Atzilus that is enclothed in Beriah, as it is written, “And they saw the G‑d (Elokei),” etc.
So “under His feet” and “He did not send forth His hand” fit together. The elders are called atzilei, “nobles,” a word related to vayatzel, “He drew from the spirit” upon the seventy elders (Numbers 11:25), and to Atzilus; yet unlike Moshe they grasped only the radiance of Atzilus clothed in Beriah, “the G‑d (Elokei) of Israel.”
ולכן והם לא יגשו3 לבחי׳ גילוי שם הוי״ה. אבל במשה רבע״ה כתיב ונגש לבחי׳ שם הוי״ה. וכן אבות העולם היו מרכבה לבחינת זרועות עולם4 כנ״ל.
Therefore “but they shall not approach” the level of the revelation of the Name Havayah. But of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, it is written “shall approach,” to the level of the Name Havayah. And likewise the Patriarchs of the world were a chariot for the level of “the everlasting arms,” as mentioned above.
Therefore “they shall not approach” the revelation of the Name Havayah, while Moshe “shall approach” it. Likewise the Patriarchs were a chariot for “the everlasting arms.”
(ובזה יובן קצת מ״ש בשיר השירים דודי שלח ידו5 כו׳ דהיינו לנשמות הגבוהות במאד אבות העולם ומשה רבינו עליו השלום כנ״ל):
(And with this one can understand somewhat what is written in the Song of Songs, “My beloved sent forth his hand,” etc., that is, to the very lofty souls, the Patriarchs of the world and Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, as mentioned above.)
This also sheds some light on “My beloved sent forth his hand” (Song of Songs 5:4): G‑d sends forth His “hand,” the revelation above the Throne, to the very loftiest souls, the Patriarchs and Moshe.
The elders, though “nobles” touched by Atzilus, saw only what lies beneath the Throne, so G‑d did not send forth His hand to them; that revelation belongs to Moshe and the Patriarchs.
Marei mekomos
- 1אצילי בני ישראל · Exodus 24:11
- 2ויאצל מן הרוח · Numbers 11:25
- 3והם לא יגשו · Exodus 24:2
- 4זרועות עולם · Deuteronomy 33:27
- 5דודי שלח ידו · Song of Songs 5:4
Finished the maamar?
Mark it as learned; it counts toward the week and the year’s siyum.
In one’s avodah
Business should be done coolly, only as far as necessary to support oneself and one’s household, with Torah fixed and work occasional. Then, in prayer with self-sacrifice and burning love in the Shema, and in Torah study for its own sake, one raises all the letters one spoke and all the life one drew from one’s dealings into holiness. One should also rise from the natural hidden love to a love born of understanding, and be of lowly spirit before every person, for even the “feet” have a virtue that the “head” lacks.
Questions for discussion
- Why does Ezekiel say “like the appearance of a man” and not simply “a man,” and in what sense do the souls of Israel “make” G‑d?
- What does the Throne conceal, and why must the light be concealed for the lower worlds to exist?
- How does the difference between clapping one’s hands and dancing with one’s feet explain the difference between the Patriarchs and Moshe and other righteous souls?
- Why are the letters of the nations’ languages compared to bricks, and what is the “kiln” that turns them into holy stones?
- What did the elders see at Sinai, and why did G‑d not “send forth His hand” to them?
Key terms in this maamar
- The Name Havayahהוי׳
- The Tetragrammaton: G‑d as transcending time and bringing all into being. ×1
- The chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus)השתלשלות
- The step-by-step descent of divine light from the highest level down to this world. ×3
- Malchus (sovereignty)מלכות
- Kingship: the level through which G‑d's word creates and rules the worlds.
- The Shechinah (Divine Presence)שכינה
- G‑d's presence as it dwells in the world.
- A dwelling place among the lower realmsדירה בתחתונים
- The purpose of creation: that G‑d be at home in this world. ×1
- The emotive attributes (middos)מדות
- Love, awe, compassion and the rest. ×8
- The outer dimension (chitzoniyus)חיצוניות
- The external, expressive aspect. ×2
- Chesed (kindness)חסד
- Expansive giving. ×2
- The intellect (mochin)מוחין
- Chochmah, Binah and Daas as a whole. ×4
- The Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof)אור אין סוף
- G‑d's light as it is, beyond all limits, before any contraction.
- Chochmah (wisdom)חכמה
- The first flash of insight. ×2
- The World of Beriah (Creation)בריאה
- The first world of separate existence. ×9
- The World of Yetzirah (Formation)יצירה
- The world of the angels and emotions. ×1
- The World of Asiyah (Action)עשיה
- The lowest world, including our physical one. ×1
- Life-forceחיות
- The divine vitality that sustains every creation. ×4
- Self-nullification (bittul)ביטול
- Setting aside one's own sense of self before G‑d.
- The World of Atzilus (Emanation)אצילות
- The highest world, still one with G‑d.
- The Sefirosספירות
- The ten divine attributes through which G‑d relates to creation.
- Willרצון
- Desire; in G‑d, the level above intellect. ×1
- Love and aweאהבה ויראה
- The two 'wings' of divine service.
- The light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin)סובב כל עלמין
- Divine light too great to enter the worlds; it 'surrounds' them and affects them from beyond.
- The light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin)ממלא כל עלמין
- Divine light that enters each world and gives it life according to its measure.
- The Infinite One (Ein Sof)אין סוף
- G‑d's own boundless essence.
- The Holy One, blessed be Heקב״ה
- ×4
- Self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh)מסירות נפש
- Giving oneself over entirely to G‑d.
- Tzimtzum (contraction)צמצום
- The self-concealment of the Infinite Light that makes room for finite worlds. ×2
- The Name Elokimאלקים
- G‑d as concealed within nature, measuring and limiting. ×3
- Gevurah (restraint)גבורה
- Measure, limitation and judgment.
- Tiferes (beauty)תפארת
- Harmony of kindness and restraint; associated with compassion.
- Binah (understanding)בינה
- Developing and grasping an insight in detail. ×1
- Daas (knowledge)דעת
- Deep connection to an idea, bridging intellect and emotion. ×1