Chapter I
טוב לי תורת פיך מאלפי זהב וכסף
"Better for me the Torah of Your mouth than thousands of [pieces of] gold and silver."1
Torah is intellect and wisdom, and as such is wholly spiritual, while gold and silver are material. Even the most simple-minded individual understands that the spiritual is superior to the material. What then is novel about the concept [and what does the verse mean to indicate when it says]: "Better for me the Torah of Your mouth than thousands of [pieces of] gold and silver"?
Love and fear of G‑d are termed in Jewish mystical writings2 "silver" and "gold," [the Hebrew word for silver is kesef, which also means longing, while gold comes from an area which is mystically indicative of fear and awe]. The Hebrew word for thousands, alfei, also means "teaching" and "conduct." The Rebbe o.b.m.3 expounds on the verse in the following manner:
King Dovid, may he rest in peace, is saying that the soul's study of Torah with a physical mouth and its performance of mitzvos in this material world are even greater than its spiritual service of "gold and silver" (i.e. love and fear) before G‑d caused it to descend into our world. The reason for this superiority lies in the fact that G‑d wants Jews to purify and elevate this material world through their spiritual service in the study of Torah, performance of mitzvos and ma'asim tovim, good deeds.
Every soul that descends into this world is entrusted with a unique mission and specific purpose which G‑d expects it to accomplish during its stay, as the verse states:4 "Days have been fashioned and for Him they are as one [in Hebrew, echod]." In other words, G‑d created days [time and space] in order that they be [pervaded and permeated with] echod [His unity]. The Hebrew word echod is composed of the letters aleph, ches and daled. Aleph [which in Hebrew means "one"] denotes the Master of the universe. Ches [which is numerically equivalent to eight] alludes to the seven heavens and the earth. Daled [the numerical equivalent of four] refers to the four corners of the earth.5
The word echod thus means that the heavens, the earth and the four corners of the earth are totally nullified before G‑d.
"Days have been fashioned" means that the soul is granted a given number of days for its stay within the body. During this time it is supposed to permeate the world with and uplift it to the One G‑d. The number of years granted to man upon this earth are limited, as the verse says:6 "The years of our life number 70, if in great vigor 80." Another verse says:7 "And his days shall be [a maximum of] 120 years." Even this [greater] number of years is in no way comparable to the years the soul spends in Heaven, awaiting the opportunity to descend below. When the soul [finally] descends and is occupied with the study of Torah and the performance of mitzvos, it achieves an even higher state [than it had enjoyed previously].
We thus understand the significance of the soul's performance of Torah and mitzvos in this world; by doing so it is elevated to a level loftier than it enjoyed prior to its descent.
In summary: Why is a comparison drawn between physical gold and silver and Torah, which is intellectual and spiritual? Because the service of the soul in this world is superior to its love and fear of G‑d in the higher worlds. Each soul has a unique mission to fulfill. To achieve this end, it is granted a limited number of years.
Chapter II
It is written:8 "All Israel are children of Royalty," i.e., all Jewish souls come from the supernal level of Malchus, or Kingdom.
Though the soul's [deeper] root is in the supernal level of Chochmah (Wisdom), the final decision that a soul should descend into this world, and the years allotted to it here, emanate from the level of Malchus, as the Zohar states:9 "The days and years of men are dependent on the level of Malchus" the final hei of G‑d's Ineffable name, Havayah.
G‑d's Ineffable Name is composed of the four letters, yud, hei, vov and hei. In the realm of the Supernal Sefiros, yud is the level of Chochmah [Wisdom], hei is the level of Binah [Understanding], vov is the level of the six Supernal Sefiros of Middos [the emotive sefiros] Chesed [Kindness], Gevurah [Severity], Tiferes [Beauty/Mercy], Netzach [Victory], Hod [Majesty/Glory] and Yesod [Foundation].
They are all mentioned in the verse:10 "L-rd, Yours is the greatness, the power, the beauty, the victory and the majesty; for all in heaven and on earth [is Yours]."
"Greatness" refers to the Sefirah of Chesed [Kindness], for as is known,11 the earlier Kabbalists called this Sefirah by the name Gedulah, or Greatness.
"For all in heaven and on earth," refers to the Sefirah of Yesod [Foundation], for the word "all" indicates the level of Yesod [Foundation].
In this verse we thus have enumerated these six Sefiros of the letter vov of G‑d's name Havayah. The final hei [of G‑d's Ineffable Name] is the Sefirah of Malchus [Kingdom], the Sefirah which fully indicates the content of the days and years that an individual is given in this world. It is due to its special nature as the Sefirah through which G‑d creates and vivifies the world that it has been singled out, as the verse states:12 "You give life to them all," upon which the Zohar comments:13 " 'You' refers to the Sefirah of Malchus."
The Midrash states:14 "Do not [merely] read 'You give life to them all,' but [also] read 'You create them all,' " for the divine life-force that vivifies the world also creates it. Thus, the Sefirah of Malchus is the vehicle for the fulfillment of the Divine purpose behind the world's continued existence.
It is written:15 "Your kingship is a kingship over all the worlds." That is, all worlds, from the highest to this, the nethermost, are all created and vivified through the Sefirah of Malchus. The Sefirah of Malchus of each successively higher world is the foundation of the world immediately below it. Thus, the lowest level of Malchus of the world immediately above our own is the highest level within this world, inasmuch as it serves as the whole foundation for this lower world, as it is stated:16 "Malchus of the supernal world of Atzilus becomes an atik, a primary source and keser, a crown, to the world of Beriah."
That the Sefirah of Malchus is the last Sefirah within every world is to be seen from the verse:17 "L-rd, Yours is the kingship," the Sefirah of Malchus. This verse is stated only after the earlier portion of the verse, [wherein the other] Sefiros [are enumerated], since Malchus is the last of all the Sefiros within every world.
This is in accordance with the statement18 that "Malchus is the final level of Atzilus." The Ten Sefiros [found in every world] begin with Chochmah [Wisdom] and conclude with Malchus [Kingdom]. Although the Sefirah of Keser [Crown] precedes Chochmah, it is not counted among the Ten Sefiros because Keser serves as an intermediary19 [and bridge] between the higher world already in existence and the world about to be created. The lowest level of Malchus in the higher world thus becomes the Sefirah of Keser for the lower world. This Sefirah of Keser [known as Malchus before it "left" its own world] is the source of all the Ten Sefiros of the lower world.
In summary: The decision regarding the descent of a soul and the length of its stay is from the Sefirah of Malchus, which is the fourth letter in G‑d's Ineffable Name Havayah. Through Malchus is accomplished the intent of the creation and animation of all worlds and their creatures.
Chapter III
The Sefirah of Keser is comprised of two levels, one named Atik and the other Arich. Atik means “removed,” as the verse states:20 Bereishis 12:8, 26:22; Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar, p. 67b; Devarim, p. 61c. “Veyehtak mishom,” which means “And he moved from there,” or as the Targum21 translates: “And he left the place.” This is the quality of the level; though Atik is part of the Sefirah of Keser, it is essentially removed and withdrawn from the world [which Keser illuminates].
The second level in the Sefirah of Keser is Arich, which means “long.”
Matters may be lengthy or abbreviated. Though the abbreviated form [generally] represents the contents of the lengthy matter, the abbreviated version cannot compare to the matter as it is in its full length.
An example would be the Abbreviated Code of Law [of Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried]. The Abbreviated Code of Law states the final decision on every law as it was arbitrated after lengthy discussions in the Gemara and Codes of Law. Yet the statements of law there cannot really be compared to the same laws as discussed in the Gemara and by the codifiers. For although the laws are stated in a clear a succinct manner, they lack inner illumination and life.
For example, the laws regarding family purity, training one’s child, kashrus associated with salting meat and the admixture of meat and milk are all found in the Abbreviated Code of Law. Yet all that is stated there are the bare halachic decisions; that during certain times a married woman is to conduct herself in a specific fashion, or that a young child should be trained in the washing of his hands, and should sleep with his head covered; that as soon as a child begins to speak, even though he is not yet speaking clearly, his parents should begin reciting with him the verse of Shema Yisroel. The same holds true for the laws regarding Shabbos observance, salting meat and separating meat from milk. All that is found are statements of what should and should not be done.
These same laws as found in the Gemara and as treated by the codifiers not only state the law with its underlying reason and source in the Written and Oral Torah, but also go into great detail. All the laws germane to a particular mitzvah are enumerated, as are the stringencies of each. For example, if a woman does not immerse herself at a particular time in a proper mikvah there is a prohibition which carries with it the punishment of kareis, the cutting off of the soul from its source. Also, in various Jewish books we are told of the great reward and good children born to those women who scrupulously observe these laws, and — may Heaven protect us — the severe punishments and evil offspring born to those who are not respectful of the laws. The same is true of all other laws. Yet in the Abbreviated Code of Law we find only the actual rulings.
The same holds true with regard to the Sefirah of Arich, which means “lengthy.” The Ten Sefiros beginning with Chochmah and concluding with Malchus are divided into two general categories: the three Sefiros of Intellect, Chochmah, Binah and Daas (or wisdom, understanding and knowledge); and the seven emotive Sefiros of Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferes, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchus (or Kindness, Severity, Beauty/Mercy, Victory, Glory, Foundation and Kingdom). The six Sefiros of Chesed through Yesod are termed Z’eir Anpin, Small [or Abbreviated] Lights, for they are similar to the Abbreviated Code of Law, while the [lower] level in Keser is termed Arich or “lengthy,” for it is similar to the laws as stated in the Gemara and by the codifiers.
In summary: Keser is comprised of two levels, the first being Atik, which is removed from the world [illuminated by Keser], and the second Arich, which is related to that world. Arich is lengthy in comparison to the Ten Sefiros of that world, similar to the way a law appears at length in the Gemara and the codifiers, with details regarding its reward and punishment, while all that is found in the Abbreviated Code of Law is the actual legislation.
Chapter IV
Arich encompasses all the Sefiros of Chochmah through Malchus in lengthened form. Just as the laws in their lengthened form are like a different matter when compared to the abbreviated versions, so too is Arich in comparison to the Ten Sefiros. Though Arich includes each of the Ten Sefiros that later emerge from it, by dint of Arich' s length [i.e., the additional illumination of the Sefiros as they are contained within Arich], the Sefiros appear there in a totally different fashion.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Sefiros in Arich are spiritually superior to the Sefiros as they emerge as individual entities, the level of Arich has a connection to the lower world [i.e., the one coming into existence through Keser]. Arich, then, has a direct connection to the lower world, while Atik has a connection to the higher world [from whence both Atik and Arich, the two levels of Keser, emanate].
The Sefirah of Keser, which acts as an intermediary level between the upper [pre-existing] world and the lower world [about to come into existence], is thus composed of two distinct levels, Atik and Arich. Atik is connected to the higher world and Arich to the lower. Both Atik and Arich are rooted in the Sefirah of Malchus of the higher world, i.e., the Sefirah of Malchus contains both Atik and Arich.
Though Malchus is the last of the Ten Sefiros, it alone is able to become the source of and Keser for the lower world. This is because the source of Malchus is loftier than [the sources of] all other Sefiros.
We observe this to be so regarding an individual's soul powers; the power of dominion is above all others. The Sefirah of Malchus too, is rooted more deeply in Keser than are the other Sefiros, as stated in Jewish writings:22 "The first [level] is [more] deeply embedded in the last [level, than in the intermediate levels]."
In every world, the Sefirah of Keser is the first level, and the Sefirah of Malchus is the last. "The first is embedded in the last" then means that Keser is tied more closely to Malchus than to the other Sefiros, and Malchus contains within it more of the Sefirah of Keser than do the other Sefiros.
We find this to be so concerning a person's body as well. A person's feet can lead his head to a place where the head alone cannot go. Also, there are times when a person can alleviate his headache by healing his feet. So too with regard to Malchus: the first and foremost Sefirah, Keser, is most firmly implanted within Malchus. It is for this reason that Malchus in particular becomes the source, i.e., the Keser, of the lower world.
This is also why Malchus is the final hei of G‑d's Ineffable Name, and as such includes man's years [of life]. For the ultimate purpose of life is to purify and elevate the world, which is created and sustained through the Sefirah of Malchus.
It is for this reason that, "Better for me the Torah of Your mouth," which is learned by the soul in this physical world, "than thousands [of pieces] of gold and silver," i.e., the previous spiritual service of the soul [prior to its descent into this world], for through the study of Torah and performance of mitzvos in this world, the soul is elevated.
In summary: Just as the laws which are explained at length with all their ramifications, rewards and punishments in the Gemara and by the codifiers are quite different from the version outlined in the Abbreviated Code of Law, so too is Arich different from the Ten Sefiros. The Sefirah of Malchus refers to the Congregation of Israel.
