Chapter I

בדבר ה׳ שמים נעשו וברוח פיו כל צבאם

"By the word of the L-rd the heavens were made, and by the breath of
His mouth all their hosts."1

This verse is a continuation of the previous one,2 which states: "G‑d's kindness fills the world." The Maggid of Mezritch3 explains the verse in the following manner:

G‑d's kindness expresses itself in that He gave created beings the ability to discern G‑dliness from all earthly matters; G‑dliness may be perceived within all matters that people commonly call "nature." Since "by the word of the L-rd the heavens were made," man is able to sustain the world by speaking words of Torah, prayer and good matters. It is therefore incumbent upon us to recite a large amount of Torah letters [i.e., Torah verses and passages].

We will better understand the meaning of the verse: "By the word of the L-rd the heavens were made..." upon understanding why the term "speech" is used regarding the level with which G‑d created the world.

The matter is as follows: Supernal Speech involves the Sefirah of Malchus or Kingdom, as it is written:4 "Like the speech of a king who reigns." A human being speaks for the benefit of others, i.e., to reveal [his thoughts] to others. When an individual is by himself, speech is not necessary.

Herein lies the difference between speech and the other soul powers: all other powers serve only the person himself [while speech is directed to others]. For example, the power of intellect with which and through which a person understands things is surely directed at the person himself. One does not need another in order to understand an intellectual matter.5 In fact, a second party may serve to hinder a person's quest for intellectual enlightenment. This is why people devoted to the pursuit of knowledge are likely to be found in quiet, secluded places, for isolation and a peaceful setting are conducive to scholarly pursuits. This is due to the fact that intellect relates directly to the person himself, and he can get along quite well without another.

The soul powers of emotion also serve only the person himself, although for an emotion to be valid it must involve others; a valid act of kindness or the like cannot be directed at oneself. Nonetheless, the feelings generated by acts of emotion serve only the person himself. For example, love and hate are only possible when there is someone to love or hate. However, the other person is necessary only in the context of the action generated by the emotion [it is impossible to perform an act of kindness without a person to whom one is kind]; the emotion itself, however, involves the person himself, for it is he that loves and he that hates.

Thus, the emotional attributes, though revealed through others, serve the person himself, while intellect is even more personal.

In summary: G‑dliness may be perceived from all natural phenomena. Intellect is only for a person himself; the company of another may be disruptive. Emotional attributes are also for the person himself, but come into being through an external entity. Speech, however, is specifically for [revealing matters to] another.

Chapter II

Although speech is one of the soul's powers, a person does not need speech for himself. Herein lies the difference between speech and thought. Both are termed "garments of the soul,"6 and the soul finds expression through both. But while thought reveals matters to the person himself, speech reveals things to others. For example, an intellectual concept is revealed to oneself through thought, and to another through speech. We therefore observe that a person may spend a whole day thinking about something, yet another individual will have no inkling of what the person was thinking about.

Though thought is but a garment to the soul, it is an internal garment7 and therefore united with it. Like the soul, it exists constantly, for a person is always thinking. The garment of speech, however, is external [and therefore does not function constantly,] as the verse says:8 "There is a time to speak and a time not to speak." Speech is only for others.

We can now understand why the Divine light and life-force which G‑d reveals for the purpose of creating limited worlds and creatures is referred to as "speech." Just as human speech serves only to reveal things to others, so too Divine speech is only necessary for [creating and vivifying] another.

Created beings are inherently limited and, compared to G‑d who is limitless, are like another. Though it is true that "Nothing exists outside of Him," i.e., there is nothing other than G‑dliness, for even the finite is but G‑dliness garbed in vestments of limitation, the G‑dliness of finitude is like another in comparison to limitless G‑dliness. Just as speech is separated from the individual and is therefore capable of being revealed to another, so too, in fulfillment of His Divine plan of creating finite worlds and creatures, G‑d brought about all of creation through the Sefirah of Malchus which is Supernal Speech.

Speech contains an additional quality not found in any other soul power. Not only are all the powers revealed through speech, but speech causes them to grow.9 An example would be the effect of speech on the power of intellect. Speech reveals intellectual matters clearly, and also broadens one's understanding by giving rise to various explanations. We observe that when a person verbalizes a concept, it becomes clearer to him. Also, through verbalization many new explanations will occur. This is why one should verbalize one's Torah study,10 for by doing so he will increase his understanding.

Speech increases emotion as well. One's love or hate of another will increase by speaking about it. In books of Jewish ethics11 we therefore find that when a person is angry he should not speak [of the matter], for speech inflames his anger to an ever greater degree. The person will find that [his anger will subside] if he remains silent, [and that ultimately] he will be able to completely vanquish his rage.

Speech has a similar effect on all the other emotions.

Thus, all revelations [to another] come about through speech, which in the realm of Sefiros is the Sefirah of Malchus. This is the meaning of, "By the word of the L-rd the heavens were made" that all of creation comes about through Supernal Speech. G‑d's divine intent was that the world be purified and elevated through the Jews' study of Torah, performance of mitzvos and demonstration of good character traits.

In summary: There is a difference between the soul's internal garment of thought and its external garment of speech. Supernal speech is the G‑dliness found in nature. The finite is like another in comparison with the infinite. Speech increases one's intellect and emotions. Therefore speaking words of Torah sustains the world.

Chapter III

Of all things created by G‑d, man is the most important.12 G‑d desires that all the heavenly worlds as well as this physical world be sustained by the spiritual service of Torah, mitzvos and good character traits.

In the section of Zohar13 called Midrash HaNeh'elam on the Torah portion of Chaye Sarah, we find that Avraham and Sarah are symbolic of man's body and soul. Rabbi Yehudah says all the good and evil deeds we do are inscribed in heaven, and that each person will have to account for his or her every act.

This is in accord with Rav's comment on the verse:14 "Your eyes have beheld my boorishness," concerning which Rav said that all deeds done by a boor one who does not think about the World to Come are observed in heaven.

Even the words we speak are recorded, and the good words are counted as a merit. We will reap the fruit of our good words in this world, while our principal reward remains for the World to Come.15 [The great reward for a kind word is emphasized] with regard to the mitzvah of tzedakah, concerning which our sages tell us:16 "When one gives charity to a poor person he is blessed by G‑d with six blessings. When he consoles him with kind words he merits eleven blessings." These eleven blessings are but the fruit we reap in this world; the principal reward for tzedakah is received in the World to Come.

[With regard to the reward for the performance of mitzvos, the following verse is cited:] "Wealth and prosperity are in his home, and his righteousness will last forever."17 "His home," refers both to this world and the World to Come, both being considered a Jew's abode, since "every Jew has a portion in the World to Come."18

The verse can be interpreted thus: "Wealth and prosperity will be found in his home," refers to the compensation for Torah study and the performance of mitzvos; these are rewarded both in this world and the next. But when a person performs mitzvos with inner life and deep satisfaction, with complete and utter devotion, then "his righteousness will last eternally," and there is no limit [to the amount of his reward; it will be spiritually superior even to the World to Come].

The Alter Rebbe19 offers the following interpretation of the verse: "Wealth and prosperity are in his home...." The wealth [of Torah and mitzvos] accumulated by a soul during its sojourn in this world illuminates "his home" the spiritual worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah and also rises to the Supernal world of Atzilus. The soul's reward emanates from the illuminations of these three worlds. However, when one's service of Torah and mitzvos is characterized by the total renunciation of one's personal will and complete dedication to G‑d's will, then "it shall last forever," since the Divine illumination rises to the world of Atzilus, from whence an everlasting reward descends even unto this world. The Divine illumination emanating from the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah is also very lofty. However, these worlds are all bounded, while Atzilus is relatively boundless. [Since the reward emanates from Atzilus], it is therefore without limit [and everlasting].

Evil thoughts and speech are also entered in the heavenly ledger, and each will receive the appropriate punishment. After a person's demise he is subject to the punishment of chibut hakever, " pounding on the grave," and kaf hakele, the "hollow of the sling."20 The first is a punishment for the body and the latter for the soul. Kaf hakeleh means that the soul is flung from place to place, with the intention of ridding it of the idle words spoken in life. It is similar to a stained garment; before the garment is washed with either hot or cold water, it is first thoroughly shaken out. Prior to the punishment of snow or fire in gehinnom comes the punishment of chibut hakever. The way to exempt oneself from this punishment is by saying letters of Torah. So too with regard to our other deeds; heavenly judgment is rendered on body and soul for every action.

In summary: Everything man does, whether good or evil (even seemingly insignificant conversation), is recorded in heaven. For good speech, man is rewarded in this world and in the World to Come. For Jews, "his home" refers to this world and the World to Come; "his righteousness" without limitation. "His home" the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah; "everlasting" the world of Atzilus. For evil speech, an individual is punished with chibut hakever and kaf hakele.

ChapterIV

Midrash HaNeh'elam21 interprets the Torah section dealing with Sarah's demise and Avraham's mourning as an analogy for the reward and punishment meted out to body and soul after one's passing.

It is written:22 "I adjure you, daughter of Yerushalayim, when you shall find my friend, tell him that I am sick with love." Upon the demise of the body, the soul comes before the heavenly court and gives an accounting of all the things written about it in the heavenly book of chronicles. The new arrival says to those souls whom the heavenly court deemed worthy of entry into the heavenly Yerushalayim: "I adjure you, when you meet my friend G‑d say to Him that I yearn to see His illuminating presence and be under His protection."

Rabbi Huna says that "sick with love" means the soul is spiritually ill because of the love it had of permissible worldly matters during its stay in a body, which led the soul down the wrong path and caused it to become sick. Rabbi Yehudah says that "sick with love" refers to the soul's love of the body. When the body reaches the end of its days, the soul takes great pity on it and bemoans the impoverished [spiritual] state in which the body is leaving this world.

"And Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, which is Chevron, in the land of Canaan."23 G‑d created the body as a mixture of the four foundations: fire, air, water and earth.24 When a person is alive, these elements are united within the body. When the body ceases to live, the four elements separate. "And Sarah died" thus means that the body ceased to live; the body being composed of "Kiryat Arba," the four elements, [the Hebrew word Kiryat means "a city," and Arba means "four." The body is called a "small city"].

The verse concludes: "Which is Chevron, in the land of Canaan," i.e., these four elements having been attached while the body was still alive, "in the land of Canaan." [The Hebrew word Chevron is etymologically related to the word chibur, which means "attachment."]

This physical world is called Canaan, for Canaan refers to a person involved in business.25 All the soul's "transactions" can be accomplished only while it is still in a body, as it is written:26 "Today [is the time] to do it," i.e., Torah and mitzvos can be performed only in this world. If a person neglects the performance of a positive command or transgresses a negative command, he may rectify it through repentance. But this can only be done while the soul is within this world. Once a person passes on, teshuvah is of no avail.

Indeed, this is one of the harshest punishments inflicted upon sinners. Upon arriving in the "second" world, they behold the terrible afflictions visited upon the evil. They are overwhelmed by the heartrending screams of those being punished, and cry from the depths of their heart that they are "doing" teshuvah and regret all their past misdeeds. They are then told that teshuvah can be done only in the physical world. Once a soul arrives in the "world of truth" regrets are of no use and teshuvah is not available. Since all the "transactions" involving the soul's descent can only be accomplished in this physical world (for it is here that man can busy himself with Torah, mitzvos and good deeds), this world is called the "land of Canaan," [where all spiritual transactions takes place].

"And Avraham came," the soul came, "to mourn Sarah and weep for her";27 the soul laments the body['s lot]. When the body is that of a sinful person, it is, subsequent to its punishment of chibut hakever and kaf hakele, given into the hands of the Angels of Punishment, who carry out the punishment decreed by the heavenly court. If it is the body of a righteous person, however, though it decomposes, it will revive at the time of the Revival of the Dead.

"And Sarah lived [one hundred years, and twenty years, and seven years.]"28 The goal of Sarah's life the life of the body is to fulfill the purpose of the world's creation through the service of Torah and mitzvos. This service is divided into different spiritual categories and levels. The level of "one hundred years" refers to the level of Keser [for Keser encompasses all Ten Sefiros, which are each composed of ten sub-Sefiros]. The level of "twenty years," refers to the intellectual levels of Chochmah and Binah [each of which is composed of ten sub-Sefiros], and the level of "seven years" refers to the [seven] Sefiros of emotion.29 All this is alluded to in the years of Sarah's, the body's, life. The verse concludes: "The years of Sarah's life," indicating that this [Torah and mitzvos] is the purpose of the body's life.

A person should therefore always increase his saying of Torah letters (reciting Tehillim, reviewing Mishnah), when and where he is able, so as to save himself from chibut hakever and kaf hakele and merit the greatest revelations.

In summary: The phrase "sick with love" refers to the illness that results from love of physical matters. It also describes the love of the soul for the impoverished body. The "land of Canaan" is this physical world, where one can acquire Torah, mitzvos, good deeds and teshuvah. Sarah is the body and Avraham is the soul. When the body dies, the soul laments its passing; the body of a tzaddik is lamented because it is no longer able to perform Torah and mitzvos, and the body of a sinful person is lamented because of the punishments it is about to endure. Through Torah letters we save ourselves from chibut hakever and kaf hakele.