The previous sections explained three dimensions associated with Rosh HaShanah as reflected by the phrase, “This day is the beginning of Your works, a remembrance of the first day”:
a) “the beginning of Your works” – the limited Divine light drawn down as a result of man’s Divine service;
b) “a remembrance of the first day” – the unlimited Divine light drawn down on G‑d’s initiative, because “He desires kindness”; and
c) the fact that “the beginning of Your works” is mentioned before “a remembrance of the first day,” which alludes to the essential Divine pleasure aroused by man’s Divine service.
In this section, the maamar explains how these three dimensions connect to the ultimate purpose of man’s existence.
On the basis of the above, we can understand the concept that the consummate purpose of the world, which will be realized in the Ultimate Future,1 as alluded to by the verse,2וְזֶהוּ שֶׁהַשְּׁלֵמוּת דְּעוֹלָם שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא,
“These are the chronicles of Peretz” –אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת פֶּרֶץ
Peretz is the progenitor of King David and thus the ancestor of Mashiach. The connection between Peretz and Mashiach is also reflected in the Prophet Michah’s description of Mashiach as haporeitz, “the one who breaks through,” as it is written,3 “The one who breaks through will ascend before them,” as explained below.
In the above phrase, the word toldos, “chronicles,” is written in a full form,תּוֹלְדוֹת מָלֵא,
i.e., containing a vav. As our Sages point out, in all but two instances – this phrase and the verse,4 “These are the chronicles of heaven and earth when they were created” – when the Tanach uses the word toldos, it writes it in a short form, without the extra letter vav. Using the longer form indicates that on two occasions – at the time of Creation and in the Era of Mashiach – the world was or will be in a perfect state. Moreover, the state of perfection to be reached in the Era of Mashiach
will surpass the state of perfection that existed at the beginning of Creation. True, as mentioned, in the phrase,תִּהְיֶה נַעֲלֵית יוֹתֵר מֵהַשְּׁלֵמוּת שֶׁהָיְתָה בִּתְחִלַּת הַבְּרִיאָה,
“These are the chronicles of heaven and earth when they were created,”4אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם
toldos is written in a full form, because “the world was created in its fullness,”5 in a state of perfection. Nevertheless,תּוֹלְדוֹת מָלֵא, עוֹלָם עַל מִלּוּאוֹ נִבְרָא,
the perfection of the world that came as a result of G‑d’s creation –שֶׁהַשְּׁלֵמוּת דְּעוֹלָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא מִצַּד הַבְּרִיאָה
[“These are the chronicles (toldos in a full form)… when they were created,” “the world was created in its fullness,”] –[אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת (מָלֵא) גו' בְּהִבָּרְאָם, עוֹלָם עַל מִלּוּאוֹ נִבְרָא]
is measured and limited. Every created being was created in a perfect state, as G‑d desired that it be. Nevertheless, each being – and the world as a whole – was defined and limited. G‑d’s unlimited dimension was not yet apparent in the world.הִיא בִּמְדִידָה וְהַגְבָּלָה.
For since the very structure of the world involves definition and limitation,דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁהַגֶּדֶר דְּעוֹלָם הוּא מְדִידָה וְהַגְבָּלָה,
it is understood that even its perfection is defined and limited.הֲרֵי מוּבָן, שֶׁגַּם הַשְּׁלֵמוּת שֶׁלּוֹ הִיא בִּמְדִידָה וְהַגְבָּלָה.
True, the creation came about because G‑d “desired kindness,”וַהֲגַם שֶׁהַבְּרִיאָה הָיְתָה מִצַּד זֶה שֶׁחָפֵץ חֶסֶד הוּא,
and that desire transcends all limitations (as explained in sec. 4 above).שֶׁהוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַגְבָּלָה (כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל סְעִיף ד),
Nevertheless, G‑d’s desire for kindness was merely the motivation for the Creation, and (as explained in that section,) it was not drawn down into the Creation itself.הֲרֵי הָעִנְיָן דְּחָפֵץ חֶסֶד הוּא רַק הַסִּבָּה לְהַבְּרִיאָה,
Instead, the creation itself followed the motif of hishtalshelus, a chainlike progression, that by definition involves higher and lower levels, i.e., limitation.אֲבָל הַבְּרִיאָה עַצְמָהּ הָיְתָה בְּאוֹפֶן דְּהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת מַעְלָה וּמַטָּה.
The perfection to be revealed in the Ultimate Future, by contrast,מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן הַשְּׁלֵמוּת שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא
will be achieved through man’s Divine service,מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית עַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם
which will evoke and draw down the essential pleasure within G‑d’s Essenceשֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ גִּלּוּי הַתַּעֲנוּג הָעַצְמִי שֶׁבְּעַצְמוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ
(that is inherently above all limitations).(שֶׁאֵין שַׁיָּךְ בּוֹ שׁוּם גֶּדֶר),
With this parenthetic phrase, the maamar explains the difference between this essential pleasure and G‑d’s desire for kindness. G‑d’s desire for kindness is unlimited. Nevertheless, it is merely the motivation for Creation and is not drawn down within the creation itself. The rationale is that the unlimited nature of this desire itself constitutes a definition. It is defined by its simplicity and transcendence, and because of that simplicity and transcendence, it cannot be drawn down directly into a limited world.
G‑d’s essential pleasure, by contrast, defies all definition. It is not limited, nor is it transcendent, nor can it be said that either limitation or transcendent are beyond it.6 Hence, this pleasure can also be drawn down into the limits of the created worlds and redefine them, elevating them until they reflect this essential pleasure. This is accomplished by man’s Divine service, through which he makes this world G‑d’s dwelling.
Therefore, the perfection that the world will reach in the Ultimate Future will be beyond limitation or definition, as alluded to by the verse,לָכֵן הַשְּׁלֵמוּת דְּעוֹלָם לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא תִּהְיָה לְמַעְלָה מִמְּדִידָה וְהַגְבָּלָה,
“These are the chronicles of Peretz.”אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת פֶּרֶץ,
Peretz – [who was given that name when Tamar exclaimed:7 “What a breakthrough you accomplished!”] – is identified withדְּעִנְיַן פֶּרֶץ [שֶׁנִּקְרָא כֵּן עַל שֵׁם מַה פָּרַצְתָּ עָלֶיךָ פָּרֶץ]
breaking through all boundaries and limitations.הוּא שֶׁפּוֹרֵץ כָּל הַמְּדִידוֹת וְהַהַגְבָּלוֹת.
In contrast, from G‑d’s desire for kindness, the vitality that is drawn down conforms to the structure of the Spiritual Cosmos and is meted out “according to the limitations of the recipients.”8
This state of unlimited perfection is accomplished through man’s Divine service. The process leading to it began on the sixth day of Creationוּשְׁלֵמוּת זוֹ שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית עַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם הֻתְחֲלָה בַּיּוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית
when Adam was created and began working the earth, i.e., making his imprint on Creation.כְּשֶׁנִּבְרָא הָאָדָם וְהִתְחִיל לַעֲבוֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה,
His work began with the “earth” in man himself, as alluded to in the verse,9בִּתְחִלָּה אֶת הָאֲדָמָה שֶׁבְּהָאָדָם גּוּפָא,
“And G‑d formed man from the dust of the earth.”וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה,
And afterwards – and as a result of this – i.e., that man’s Divine service must begin within his own self; this enables him to grow and continue his Divine service with the “earth” outside his own being as well,וְאַחַר כָּךְ וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה גַּם אֶת הָאֲדָמָה שֶׁמִּחוּצָה לוֹ,
i.e., the entire Spiritual Cosmos,הַיְנוּ כָּל סֵדֶר הַהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת
(“for everything came into being from dust”).10(דְּהַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר),
As explained,11 immediately upon his creation, Adam motivated the entire creation to turn in homage to G‑d, declaring, “Come, let us prostrate ourselves and bow; bend the knee before G‑d, our Maker.”12וְכַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל שֶׁפָּעַל בְּכָל הַבְּרִיאָה הָעִנְיָן דְּנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנִכְרָעָה נִבְרְכָה לִפְנֵי ה' עֹשֵׂנוּ.
In particular, the above applies after “the sixth day,” the sixth of Sivan, the day of the Giving of the Torah.וּבִפְרָט לְאַחֲרֵי יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי דְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה
[At that time, man’s Divine service, the contribution of the sixth day of Creation, was elevated and perfected.][שֶׁאָז נַעֲשָׂה עִלּוּי וּשְׁלֵמוּת בַּיּוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי דְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית],
Thus, Rashi comments on the phrase, “The sixth day”:13 “On the sixth of Sivan, when the Jews received the Torah, all existence brought into being at the time of Creation was strengthened, as if the world was created anew. This is the implication of the phrase “the sixth day,” i.e., a reference to the sixth of Sivan.”
For man’s Divine service and his contribution to the world (achieved through his Divine service) after the Giving of the Torah is on a far loftier level. After the Giving of the Torah, man’s Divine service taps and unleashes the G‑dly power invested in the Torah. Thus, it possesses infinite G‑dly power, not only the limited power of a mortal.שֶׁעֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם וְהַפְּעֻלָּה בָּעוֹלָם (שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית עַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדָתוֹ) שֶׁלְּאַחֲרֵי מַתַּן תּוֹרָה הִיא בְּאוֹפֶן נַעֲלֶה יוֹתֵר.
In particular, this applies on Rosh HaShanah, described with the phrase,וּבִפְרָט בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה,
“This day is the beginning of Your works.”זֶה הַיּוֹם תְּחִלַּת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ,
Each year, on Rosh HaShanah, man’s Divine service resembles “the beginning of Your works,” generated through the Divine service of Adam, the first man, on the first Rosh HaShanah,שֶׁהוּא דֻּגְמַת תְּחִלַּת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה עַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הָרִאשׁוֹן,
and indeed, is on a higher level.וְעוֹד לְמַעְלָה יוֹתֵר,
And on Rosh HaShanah itself, each year, this motif is expressed in a loftier manner,וּבְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה גּוּפָא הִנֵּה בְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה עִנְיָן זֶה הוּא בְּאוֹפֶן נַעֲלֶה יוֹתֵר,
as we are charged,14 “Always advance in holy matters.”כְּהַצִּוּוּי מַעֲלִין בַּקֹּדֶשׁ,
Thus, on every Rosh HaShanah, a new and higher light is drawn down. Never yet has such a lofty light shined forth.15וְעַד שֶׁבְּכָל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה נִמְשָׁךְ אוֹר חָדָשׁ עֶלְיוֹן יוֹתֵר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מֵאִיר עֲדַיִן מִימֵי עוֹלָם אוֹר עֶלְיוֹן כָּזֶה,
This motif will continue until the Redemption when “The one who breaks through will ascend before them,”16וְעַד לְהַגְּאֻלָּה שֶׁאָז יַעֲלֶה הַפּוֹרֵץ לְפָנֵינוּ
and break through all barriers and limitations.וְיִפְרוֹץ כָּל הַמְּדִידוֹת וְהַהַגְבָּלוֹת.

Summary

The consummate purpose of the world will be realized in the Ultimate Future. Although the world was created in a complete state, the state of perfection to be reached in the Era of Mashiach will surpass the state of perfection that existed at the beginning of Creation, for that initial state of perfection was defined and limited. The perfection to be revealed in the Ultimate Future, by contrast, will be achieved through man’s Divine service, which will draw down the essential pleasure that emanates from G‑d’s Essence, which is inherently above all definitions and limitations.
This state of unlimited perfection is accomplished through man’s Divine service, beginning with the service of Adam directly after his creation. Each year, on Rosh HaShanah, man’s Divine service represents a further stage in the Divine service that Adam began.