ולהבין To understand the above,
In the previous section, the Alter Rebbe explained how partaking of matzah was associated with the revelation of G‑dliness and thus brought about positive spiritual effects. In this section, he explains the foundation for that concept — that eating is not merely a physical activity but a means to elevate and refine the G‑dliness invested in material existence and in that way, tap the sublime power of its source.
it is necessary to preface with an explanation of the verse:1 “For man does not live by bread alone....” [This verse] resolves the question: How is it possible for food to have the power to endow a person with vitality? Bread comes from the plant kingdom, [which is lower than] humans who are in the category of midaber.
Jewish thought divides existence into four categories: domeim, inanimate matter; tzomeiach, the plant kingdom; chai, the animal kingdom; and midaber (lit., “a speaker”), i.e., humans. For a detailed description of these four categories and an explanation as to why humans are referred to as “a speaker,” consult Likkutei Sichos, Vol. VI, p. 107ff. (translated in Crown Jewels, Vol. 1, p. 115ff.).
If so, how is it possible for plants to give life to humans who are on a much higher level?
אלא [This question is resolved by the verse which states:] “For man does not live by bread alone,” i.e., the bread in and of itself [does not endow man with vitality. Instead, the source of life is, as the verse continues]: “every utterance of the mouth of G‑d.” [Implied is that there is Divine vitality] actually enclothed in the bread that stems from His utterance:2 “Let the earth sprout forth vegetation.”
As explained in Tanya, Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, chs. 1-2, the Ten Utterances of Creation did not only bring the world into being originally, but are a continuing influence, providing the world with its vitality.
As stated in Likkutei Torah [of the AriZal], Parshas Eikev, that word of G‑d is embedded in the food and it nurtures and sustains the person.
The Divine vitality stemming from the words “Let the earth bring forth vegetation” is present within a plant at all times, maintaining its existence and enabling it to grow. When the plant is harvested, that Divine vitality remains present within the food and nurtures the person who partakes of it.
אך It is, however, necessary to understand: The word of G‑d, the utterance3 “Let us make man,” is also enclothed in a person. If so, why is it necessary [for him] to receive vitality from the bread in which is enclothed [Divine energy from] the utterance “Let the earth sprout forth...”?
אך The matter can be [resolved as follows]: It is explained in several sources4 , iii that the source of inanimate matter, plants, and animals is from the realm of Tohu which precedes
Here the intent is not chronological precedence, but rather that Tohu reflects a more elevated spiritual rung.
the realm of Tikkun.
In Kabbalah, and particularly in the writings of the AriZal, it is explained that there are several frameworks of spiritual existence above our physical world. All of these frameworks depend on the interplay between oros, “lights,” expressions of G‑dly vitality, and keilim, “vessels,” forms in which that energy is manifest.
Our Sages (Bereishis Rabbah 1:5) relate that G‑d “would build worlds and destroy them.” It is explained that this refers to the world of Tohu (commonly translated as “chaos”). This was a very elevated framework of existence in which the lights were very powerful while the keilim were insubstantial. For this reason, the vessels “broke” and fell.
Afterwards, there emanated forth a different framework of existence, Tikkun, in which the power of the lights was reduced and the keilim became more substantial. As a result, there was a lesser revelation of G‑dliness, but the order of existence was of a lasting nature.
As will be mentioned, the breaking of the vessels of Tohu produced 288 sparks of G‑dliness which later subdivided further into myriads of mini-sparks. These sparks entered the realm of Tikkun. In so doing, they became material in nature, for the higher an entity’s spiritual potential, the lower it falls in its descent. Nevertheless, even as these sparks of G‑dliness descend, they are still connected to their elevated spiritual source.
Man’s spiritual service involves birurim, sifting and refining the material dimensions of existence to connect the G‑dly sparks to their sublime source. When a person eats food with the intent of harnessing its energy for a spiritual purpose, he channels the higher Divine energy of the realm of Tohu and enables it to be enclothed in the vessels of Tikkun.
[Although originally, the realm of Tohu was more elevated than the realm of Tikkun,]its vessels were “broken” and then lowered level after level in a chainlike process until they descended very low and physical entities came into being from them.
והאדם The source [of the soul] of man is from the world of Tikkun.
The immediate source of man’s soul is the realm of Tikkun,which is lower than the realm of Tohu. Nevertheless, the ultimate source of man’s soul is G‑d’s Essence which transcends both Tohu and Tikkun. For that reason, man has the potential to elevate and refine the created beings whose immediate source is the realm of Tohu.
The fundamental dimension of the world of Tikkun is the attribute of Chochmah (“wisdom”) of Atzilus.
Within the realm of Tikkun, there are four worlds (in descending order): Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. See Likkutei Sichos, loc. cit.,for a detailed explanation.
[The realm of Tikkun] is referred to as “the drawing down of intellectual faculties,” for “with Chochmah, they will be refined.” See Zohar, Vol. II, p. 254b.
Just as wisdom serves as a guiding light, enabling a person to control his conduct and refine it, so too, in a spiritual sense, the Sefirah of Chochmah serves as the medium which directs the task of birurim as a whole.
Man possesses an intellectual soul
I.e., the primary dimension of the G‑dly soul is intellectual. Although it also possesses emotions, its emotions are controlled by its intellect.
whose chainlike descent [begins] from its source in the attribute of Chochmah.
For, as stated in Tanya,ch. 3, our spiritual powers have their source in the Sefiros above, and function in a manner that parallels them.
ושבה"כ The breaking of the vessels that occurred in the realm of Tohu affected the seven emotional qualities [of that realm]. [These,] however, [reflect elevated potentials], for they are emotions that transcend the level of Chochmah of Atzilus. Thus they are referred to as “the great beast.”5 , iv
The middos, emotional characteristics,are described with the analogy of an animal, because both have a tendency to follow “what I want” and “what I feel” rather than what is logical and correct. An animal follows its instinctual drives without moderating them with intellect. It uses intellect simply as a tool to get what it wants rather than a filter to decide what is correct. Similarly, when his emotions prevail, a person may realize the truth and correctness of a particular course of action, but be unwilling to follow it.
Accordingly, emotions are considered below intellect, just as animals are considered a lower form of life than humans.
Although in actual expression, the emotional qualities are on a lower level, their source is higher and closer to the soul than that of intellect. Since intellect is objective, the person’s self, the “I” of his soul, is not felt as powerfully. With regard to emotion, by contrast, the fundamental power of one’s soul, his raw “I,” thunders into expression.
To relate these concepts to their analogues in the spiritual realms, in the realm of Tohu, the middos are given expression with all of their inherent power, unfettered by the constraints of intellect. Precisely for this reason, however, there was the possibility of the breaking of their vessels and their descent.Indeed, as explained in the writings of the AriZal (Etz Chayim, Shaar 8-9), the fundamental aspect of the breaking of the vessels occurred within the middos. To highlight their elevated source, they are referred to as “the great beast.”
ולפי Because they were not interrelated, they fell and broke.
Since the middos of the realm of Tikkun are controlled by the modulating influence of intellect, they understand the possibility of contrasting tendencies and incorporate one within the other. For example, a person who truly loves his son understands that he must sometimes act sternly and even punish the child so that the child will learn self-control. Although he must display emotions that are seemingly opposite to love, conducting himself in this manner is a consummate expression of love. In the realm of Tohu, by contrast, such an interrelation did not exist and each emotional quality was expressed in its quintessential form.
Thus, as a result of their descent, [the entities brought into being from them] are on a lower level than man. Hence, they must be refined by man’s efforts, because “with Chochmah, they will be refined,” as stated above. Once they have been refined, however, they impart vitality to man, because [initially] their source is higher than man’s level.
By partaking of the food, man is internalizing the higher spiritual energies enclothed in the food.
וזהו This is the intent of the phrase “but by every utterance of the mouth of G‑d shall man live.” “The utterance of G‑d’s mouth” means the source and root from which is drawn down [influence] that led to the revelation of the statements that issued from G‑d’s mouth. At its source and root, bread is derived from a higher source [than man,] as explained above. For this reason, the utterance “Let us make man” is the last of the Ten Utterances [of Creation]. The utterances “Let the earth sprout forth vegetation,” “Let the earth bring forth [living creatures],” Bereishis 1:24. and all of the others precede the utterance “Let us make man” for the above reason,
I.e., the chronological sequence reflected the process of descent in the spiritual realms above.
[i.e.,] that their source is in the realm of Tohu which precedes [and is from a higher source than] the realm of Tikkun in which man is rooted.
ולכן Accordingly, Rav Nachman said:6 “The reason I did not tell you [the explanation of the law] in the evening was that I had not yet eaten the meat of an ox.”v It is obvious from this that food adds vitality even to the powers of wisdom and intellect in man.
I.e., not only does eating contribute simple energy, it also strengthens man’s higher powers. This is an example of how, after a physical entity is refined, its source in the higher realms can improve the functioning of man’s spiritual potential.
Similarly, our Sages said:7 “A child does not know how to call ‘father’until he tastes grain.”
This, too, indicates that partaking of a physical entity, grain, can improve a child’s intellectual prowess.
This also follows the above rationale. Since the source of food is a very high level — from the realm of Tohu which is above the realm of Tikkun — it has the power and the potential to strengthen and increase even a man’s power of wisdom.vi
וכמ"כ Similar concepts apply with regard to Divine service, i.e., the task of refining the 288 sparks of Tohu that are enclothed in material entities. They are refined and ascend upward following the paradigm of Tikkun, which is the source of the G‑dly soul, through one’s Divine service in the recitation of the Shema and prayer. The power and the vitality that is increased by eating for the sake of Heaven is subsumed in the realm of [holiness through our declarations] “[G‑d is] one” and “You shall love G‑d.”
The Alter Rebbe is giving an archetypal example. In a more general sense, whenever a person uses the energy he receives from food for a Divine purpose, he elevates it to the realm of holiness.
ומוסיף This adds strength
I.e., the elevation of the food enables its inner power to be expressed within the Divine service of the person who partook of it.
to the meditation on and the arousal of love for G‑d, causing the meditation, the knowledge, and the love and fear to be reinforced and connected more powerfully than it would be as a result of the potential of the G‑dly soul itself for the above reason.
I.e., without having received additional energy due to the refinement of the food one eats.
As mentioned above, although the ultimate source of the Divine soul is G‑d’s Essence, since its immediate source is in the realm of Tikkun, it derives energy from the sparks of Tohu that it elevates.
The qualities [stemming from] the 288 sparks of Tohu that are enclothed [in the food] are above the realm of Tikkun. Therefore they also have the potential to elevate the attributes of wisdom and emotion in the G‑dly soulvii in the recitation of Shema, prayer, and the involvement in the Torah and its mitzvos.
Summary
In the previous section, the Alter Rebbe explained how partaking of matzah was associated with the revelation of G‑dliness and thus led to spiritual consequences. In this section, he explains the foundation for that concept — that eating is not merely a physical activity, but a means to elevate and refine the G‑dliness invested in material existence and, in that way, tap the sublime power of its source.
He begins by citing the verse: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every utterance of the mouth of G‑d.” It is not the physical substance of the food that endows man with vitality, but the spiritual life force enclothed within it. In particular, he explains that the Divine energy enclothed in physical food has a uniquely high source, stemming from the realm of Tohu, a spiritual level that transcends the constraints of the realm of Tikkun that govern our present form of existence.
Nevertheless, the vessels of the realm of Tohu “broke” and fell to very low levels, causing their “sparks” to become enclothed in the world’s material substance. Through man’s efforts to use these material entities for a spiritual purpose, he taps the higher Divine power embedded within these sparks. This in turn endows him with energy and enhances the functioning of his soul powers.
