The previous section explained that the capacity to view the Torah and its mitzvos as new every day is possible only through the revelation of G‑d’s light that is sovev kol almin. Sec. 1, however, stated that to attain this outlook it is necessary to contemplate the concept alluded to by the phrase “I command you today,” i.e., that the fulfillment of the mitzvos in this world draws down G‑d’s Essence (Anochi, “I”) – a level that transcends His light that is sovev kol almin. In this section, the maamar explains why the light that is sovev kol almin is not sufficient and a connection to G‑d’s Essence is necessary.
Since the existence of our world is defined by space and time,וְהִנֵּה מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁגֶּדֶר הָעוֹלָם הוּא מָקוֹם וּזְמַן,
it is understood that the possibility that through the revelation of G‑d’s light that is sovev kol almin,מוּבָן, דְּזֶה שֶׁעַל יְדֵי גִלּוּי אוֹר הַסּוֹבֵב
a dimension that transcends time and space will be drawn down into the world,נִמְשָׁךְ בָּעוֹלָם עִנְיָן שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִזְּמַן וּמָקוֹם
results from the fact that the defining characteristics of the world – time and space – are batel, become entirely nullified, because of the revelation of G‑d’s unlimited light that transcends the world.הוּא שֶׁגִּדְרֵי הָעוֹלָם בְּטֵלִים מִפְּנֵי הַגִּלּוּי דְּאוֹר הַבְּלִי גְבוּל שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהָעוֹלָם.
This – the revelation of G‑d’s infinite light in our material world – is what constitutes a miracle: the limits of nature are temporarily suspended, and G‑d’s limitless and boundless light is revealed. To explain by borrowing a saying of our Sages:1 “When G‑d wills it, ‘He Who said that oil should burn can say to vinegar will burn’. ”
Nevertheless, such miraculous revelations run contrary to the ordinary, natural pattern of the world and nullify that pattern. Thus, the world itself, within its own context, remains unaffected; its ordinary pattern of existence undergoes no enduring change.
To illustrate this concept by drawing an analogy to the power of willוְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָרָצוֹן
(for will serves as an analogy for G‑d’s light that is sovev kol almin):(דְּרָצוֹן הוּא מָשָׁל עַל סוֹבֵב),
Through a person’s sheer will, he can compel his body to act in a manner opposite its nature, for example, to insert his foot into very hot or icy-cold water, something that a person would not ordinarily do. Nevertheless, if – for whatever reason – he desires to do so, he will overcome his natural tendency and act according to his desire.
Now, the dominion and control that will exercises over the body’s limbs and organs to the extent that they will act contrary to their natural tendenciesדְּזֶה שֶׁהָרָצוֹן מוֹשֵׁל וְשׁוֹלֵט עַל הָאֵבָרִים שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ הֵפֶךְ טִבְעָם
results from their being batel to the person’s will.הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם בְּטֵלִים לְהָרָצוֹן.
As explained in Chassidus,2 the manner in which a person’s will affects his other faculties, limbs, and organs differs from the manner in which his mind affects them. When a person uses his mind to train his faculties or limbs, his thought “descends,” becoming enclothed within his other faculties, actively interacting with them. For example, when seeking to acquire a specific skill he first learns what must be done to cultivate that skill. He then repeatedly practices the activities necessary to gain proficiency in that skill, contemplating how his limbs or faculties are functioning and continually guiding them so that they perform according to his intent. In contrast, when he influences these faculties solely through his will, he simply commands them, dictating the manner in which they must function and compelling them to act accordingly.
Similar concepts apply with regard to G‑d’s light that is sovev kol almin. When revealed within the Spiritual Cosmos, that light nullifies the patterns and structures that ordinarily prevail and infuses it with undefined and boundless Divine energy.
The perception of the Torah and its mitzvos as new every day generates energy for a person in his fulfillment of the mitzvos,וּמִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהָעִנְיָן דִּבְכָל יוֹם יִהְיוּ בְעֵינֶיךָ כַּחֲדָשִׁים הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶ' לוֹ חַיּוּת בְּהַמִּצְוֹת
(enabling him to regard them with the same enthusiasm and freshness as he does new entities).(כְּבִדְבָרִים חֲדָשִׁים),
Now, energy and vitality, by definition, affect a person in an internalized manner; he feels more vibrant and alive.דְּחַיּוּת הוּא פְּנִימִי,
Therefore, for a dimension of timelessness to radiate within a person’s consciousness,לָכֵן, הָעִנְיָן דִּלְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן שֶׁמֵּאִיר בְּהָאָדָם
(so that as a result, he will view the Torah and its mitzvos as new,)(שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִהְיוּ בְעֵינֶיךָ כַּחֲדָשִׁים)
it must be internalized within him.צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת אֶצְלוֹ בִּפְנִימִיּוּת.
This represents a fusion of opposites: the perception of the Torah and its mitzvos as new every day reflects timelessness, which transcends the structure of the Spiritual Cosmos, whereas internalizing that perception within man’s feelings indicates how this timeless quality is drawn down within the inherent limits of that structure.
Therefore, the potential for the feeling that the Torah and its mitzvos be new each dayוְלָכֵן, הַנְּתִינַת כֹּחַ עַל זֶה שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם יִהְיוּ בְעֵינֶיךָ כַּחֲדָשִׁים
comes as a result of “I… commanding you today,”הוּא זֶה שֶׁאָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם,
influence from Anochi, “I,” – G‑d’s Essence – the only One Who can truly be called “I,”אָנֹכִי מִי שֶׁאָנֹכִי,
which transcends even His light that is sovev kol almin.שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה גַּם מִסּוֹבֵב.
To explainוְהָעִנְיָן הוּא:
why the light that is sovev kol almin is not sufficient to enable viewing the Torah and its mitzvos as new entities every day, and why it is therefore necessary that influence also be drawn down from G‑d’s Essence:
G‑d’s infinite light (which is the source of the light that is sovev kol almin),דְּאוֹר הַבְּלִי גְבוּל (הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ דְּאוֹר הַסּוֹבֵב),
is defined by its being unlimited.הוּא מֻגְדָּר בְּהַגֶּדֶר דִּבְלִי גְבוּל,
True, this infinite light is not characterized by any of the limits or definitions that characterize limited existence. Nevertheless, the fact that it is infinite and undefinable is also a definition. It is boundless and not defined – in contrast to other entities that are limited and defined.
Therefore, the fact that the expression of this light is not restricted by any boundaries,וְלָכֵן, זֶה שֶׁאֵין סוֹף לְהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתוֹ
and it is present everywhere in a revealed manner, even in this physical world,וְהוּא נִמְצָא בְּגִלּוּי בְּכָל מָקוֹם, גַּם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַגַּשְׁמִי,
It is explained in Chassidus3 that the intent is not that it is revealed in a manner apparent to and perceptible by created beings, but rather that, from G‑d’s perspective, the light is revealed. To illustrate by analogy: When a teacher explains a concept to a student with an analogy, the teacher perceives the full depth of the concept he seeks to communicate via the analogy that he is presenting the student. The student, however, will solely be able to understand the analogy. So too the fact that G‑d’s light extends boundlessly
is because the light is unlimited.הוּא מִצַּד זֶה שֶׁהָאוֹר הוּא אֵין סוֹף,
Nevertheless, this unlimited dimension is not related to the world as it exists within its own context.אֲבָל אֵין זֶה שַׁיָּךְ לְהָעוֹלָם.
The manner in which the unlimited dimension of the light does not relate to the world in its own context can be expressed in either of two ways:וּשְׁנֵי אֳפָנִים בָּזֶה.
a) that the unlimited light is not perceived at all within the world,אוֹ שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ נִרְגָּשׁ כְּלָל הָאוֹר,
but rather remains hidden. To refer back to the example of a teacher who presents an analogy to his students: At times the students cannot, at first, perceive the purpose of the analogy, and they see it as an entirely unrelated matter.
or b) that the unlimited light is perceived within the world and,אוֹ שֶׁנִּרְגָּשׁ בּוֹ הָאוֹר,
as a result, influence that transcends the structures of time and space is drawn down into the world, as explained above with regard to a miracle.שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ בּוֹ עִנְיָן שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִזְּמַן וּמָקוֹם,
In that instance, however, the structures of the world are nullified due to the revelation of this light.אֲבָל הוּא בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁגֶּדֶר הָעוֹלָם בָּטֵל מִפְּנֵי הָאוֹר.
However, in order that the revelation of G‑d’s infinite light within the world occur in an internalized manner,וּבִכְדֵי שֶׁהַגִּלּוּי דְּאוֹר הַבְּלִי גְבוּל בָּעוֹלָם יִהְיֶ' בִּפְנִימִיּוּתוֹ,
it must come solely through G‑d’s Essence, which is not characterized by any definition4 whatsoever:הוּא עַל יְדֵי הָעַצְמוּת שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֻגְדָּר בְּשׁוּם גֶּדֶר,
neither as something that is limited nor as something that is unlimited.לֹא בְּגֶדֶר הַגְּבוּל וְלֹא בְּגֶדֶר הַבְּלִי גְבוּל.
Therefore, through the revelation of the power of G‑d’s Essenceוְלָכֵן, עַל יְדֵי גִלּוּי כֹּחַ הָעַצְמוּת,
which cannot be described as limited, nor as transcendent, nor can it be said that either limitation or transcendent are beyond it,5
it is possible to bring about a fusion of opposites: of the unlimited and the limited,נַעֲשֶׂה הַחִבּוּר דִּבְלִי גְבוּל וּגְבוּל,
the union of the light that is sovev kol almin with the light that is memale kol almin,יִחוּד סוֹבֵב וּמְמַלֵּא,
As a result of the influence from G‑d’s Essence, a dimension that transcends time (which is drawn down from the light that is sovev kol almin) is revealed within the worlds (whose vitality comes from the light that is memale kol almin) in an internalized manner.וְהַגִּלּוּי דִּלְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן (שֶׁנִּמְשָׁךְ מֵהַסּוֹבֵב) בָּעוֹלָם (שֶׁחַיּוּתוֹ הוּא מֵאוֹר הַמְמַלֵּא) הוּא בִּפְנִימִיּוּתוֹ.

Summary

This section explains why the capacity to view the Torah and its mitzvos as new every day is dependent on G‑d’s Essence, and why the light that is sovev kol almin is not sufficient to attain that perspective. Our world is defined by time and space. G‑d’s light that is sovev kol almin transcends those, and indeed all, limitations. Moreover, there are no restrictions to the expression of that light; it can be manifest in this world as well. Nevertheless, when it is manifest in this world, it nullifies the structures of this world entirely, forcing the world, as it were, to go against its natural tendencies.
Now, the perception of the Torah and its mitzvos as new every day generates energy for a person in his fulfillment of the mitzvos. If the perception is genuine, he feels this vitality and vibrancy in an internalized manner. These feelings are defined by the structure of the Spiritual Cosmos, which stems from His light that is memale kol almin.
This represents a fusion of opposites: the perception of the Torah and its mitzvos as new every day reflects timelessness that transcends the structure of the Spiritual Cosmos, whereas the internalization of that perception within man’s feelings indicates how this timeless quality is drawn down within the limits of that structure.
Such a fusion of opposites – limitation and above limitation together – can only result from a manifestation of influence from G‑d’s Essence, for only He is utterly unbounded and undefined.
It cannot result from His light that is sovev kol almin. True, that light is not restricted by the limitations of time and space, but nevertheless its infinite dimension cannot be revealed within those limitations. Either that light will remain hidden and not be revealed within the world, or it will be revealed and nullify the pattern and structure of our world. The revelation of timelessness in the structures of this world is possible only as a result of the manifestation of His Essence.