In the preceding chapters, the Rebbe Rashab raised several questions concerning G‑d’s command to Moshe to wage war against Midian. In this chapter, he expands the explanation of the chassidic concepts behind that command, including the idea that Midian is identified with strife and disunity.
אָמְנָם כְּלָלוּת הָעִנְיָן הוּא,
In general terms, the concept can be explained as follows:
דְּהִנֵּה מִדְיָן הוּא לְשׁוֹן מָדוֹן וּמְרִיבָה,
The name Midian (מִדְיָן)1 shares the same root letters as the word מָדוֹן, which means “strife” and “contention.”
וְזֶהוּ כָּל עִנְיַן קְלִפַּת מִדְיָן, שֶׁהוּא הַפֵּרוּד וְהַהִתְחַלְּקוּת,
The fundamental characteristic of the kelipah of Midian is separation and division,
וְהוּא עִנְיַן שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם וּפֵרוּד הַלְּבָבוֹת,
In a personal sense, this refers to baseless hatred and disunity that exists in people’s hearts.
שֶׁהוּא הַהֵפֶךְ לְגַמְרֵי מִסִּטְרָא דִקְדֻשָּׁה,
This is the direct opposite of the “side” of holiness,
שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָאַחְדּוּת דַּוְקָא.
which is characterized by unity.
וְכַיָּדוּעַ שֶׁזֶּהוּ עִקַּר הַהֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין הַקְּדֻשָּׁה לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא,
This is, as is well known, the principal difference between holiness and the sitra achra.2
דְּבִקְדֻשָּׁה הוּא בְּחִינַת הָאַחְדּוּת,
Holiness is characterized by unification.
וְזֶהוּ כָּל עִקַּר הַיִּחוּד דְּשֵׁם הוי',
This enables us to appreciate the uniqueness of G‑d’s name Havayah and the fundamental oneness that it brings about.
שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַיִּחוּד וְהַהִתְכַּלְלוּת בְּחָכְמָה וּמִדּוֹת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה כוּ',
This onenesss is expressed through the unity and synthesis of the attributes of the intellect and emotive qualities as they exist in the realm of holiness.
דַּהֲגַם שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת, מוֹחִין וּמִדּוֹת כוּ',
Although there are ten distinct Sefiros, comprising both mochin, intellectual attributes, and middos, emotive attributes,
מִכָּל מָקוֹם הֵם בִּבְחִינַת יִחוּד וְהִתְכַּלְלוּת לְגַמְרֵי,
they are nevertheless unified and combined in perfect harmony.
The ten Sefirosrepresent G‑d’s intellectual and emotive attributes. By nature, every attribute is unique, with its own definition, and therefore self-contained. The possibility for these attributes to interact and harmoniously combine results from
שֶׁזֶּה עִנְיַן הַשֵּׁם הוי'
the influence of G‑d’s name Havayah.
שֶׁכּוֹלְלָם וּמְיַחֲדָם לִהְיוֹת בִּבְחִינַת יִחוּד גָּמוּר כוּ'.
It combines and unifies the Sefiros in absolute oneness, allowing each one to appreciate how another can complement it.
וְשֹׁרֶשׁ עִנְיַן הַקְּלִפָּה הוּא לְהֵפֶךְ זֶה,
In contrast, the source and distinguishing trait of kelipah is the opposite;
בִּבְחִינַת הַפֵּרוּד וְהַהִתְחַלְּקוּת דַּוְקָא.
it is specifically separation and division.
The contrast between the two realms is exemplified in the difference between an expression used by Yaakov, the prototype of holiness, as opposed to one used by Esav, the prototype of evil.
וְזֶהוּ מַה שֶּׁאָמַר יַעֲקֹב יֶשׁ לִי כֹל,
Yaakov declared,3 “I have chol (כֹל; ‘all’),”
לְשׁוֹן הִתְכַּלְלוּת,
a term which implies hiskalelus (הִתְכַּלְלוּת; lit., “mutual incorporation”).
וְעֵשָׂו אָמַר יֶשׁ לִי רָב,
Esav, by contrast, used the expression,4 “I have rav (‘much’).”
לְשׁוֹן רִבּוּי וּפֵרוּד כוּ',
The word rav is related to the word ribui, meaning “multiplicity,” which leads to separation. Since each attribute is distinct and unique, the more they express their qualities, the greater the difference between them.
וּבְיַעֲקֹב, הֲגַם שֶׁהָיוּ ע' נֶפֶשׁ,
Therefore, although there were seventy souls in the family of Yaakov,5
כְּתִיב נֶפֶשׁ לְשׁוֹן יָחִיד.
when the Torah speaks6 of his taking his family to Egypt, the singular form of the word “soul” (nefesh) is used to describe them.
וְהַיְנוּ כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל דִּבְסִטְרָא דִקְדֻשָּׁה,
The singular is used, because as mentioned above, the realm of holiness is characterized by oneness. Thus, although Yaakov’s family numbered seventy, they were characterized by oneness. Similarly,
הֲגַם שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת ג' שִׂכְלִיִּים וְז' מִדּוֹת
even though there are ten Sefiros comprising three intellectual attributes and seven emotive attributes,
(וְזֶהוּ מִסְפַּר ע' נֶפֶשׁ יוֹצְאֵי יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב,
(These attributes are personified in the seventy descendants of Yaakov
שֶׁהֵן ז' מִדּוֹת כָּל אֶחָד כָּלוּל מִיּוּ"ד כוּ', כַּיָּדוּעַ,)
who represent the seven emotive attributes, each comprising ten particular qualities, thus totaling seventy, [7x10,] as is well known.)7 The interrelation between the different qualities fuses them into a single entity. Therefore, the Torah refers to them using the singular, as mentioned above.
וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הֵם בִּבְחִינַת יִחוּד בְּתַכְלִית כוּ', וּכְמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר.
they are, nonetheless, absolutely unified, as will be explained.
וּבְעֵשָׂו הָיָה רַק שִׁשָּׁה נְפָשׁוֹת,
In contrast, though Esav’s family numbered only six,
וּכְתִיב נַפְשׁוֹת לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים,
when the Torah describes8 him taking his family to Seir, the plural (“souls”) is used,
שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת הַפֵּרוּד וְהַהִתְחַלְּקוּת כוּ'.
for they represent separation and divisiveness.
וְכֵן הוּא בְּשָׁרְשָׁן
The contrast between the realm of holiness and the realm of kelipah can be understood by explaining their sources, the spiritual worlds of Tikkun9 and Tohu from which these realms respectively derive.
בִּבְחִינַת סְפִירוֹת דְּתֹהוּ, שֶׁהָיוּ בִּבְחִינַת עַנְפִין מִתְפָּרְדִין כוּ',
Tohu, the spiritual source of Esav is characterized by separation. Hence, Chassidus10 refers to the Sefiros of Tohu as “separate branches.”
שֶׁהַמִּדּוֹת דְּתֹהוּ לֹא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לִסְבּוֹל זֶה אֶת זֶה,
In Tohu, the middos (emotive attributes) could not tolerate one another;
דְּחֶסֶד לֹא הָיְתָה יְכוֹלָה לִסְבּוֹל מִדַּת הַגְּבוּרָה, וְכֵן גְּבוּרָה אֶת מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד
Chessed (kindness) could not tolerate the trait of Gevurah (might),11 nor could Gevurah tolerate the trait of Chessed.
As will be explained, each attribute in the realm of Tohu shone with full force. Hence, it could not tolerate an attribute of a different nature. To use an example, there are certain people who see only their own point of view. They don’t have the the capacity to see another person’s perspective. Thus, a person whose character tends to kindness will always look generously on others and have trouble seeing their faults. When another person points out the need for caution, the kind person may argue with him. Conversely, a person who is overly critical will object and argue with those who challenge his judgment and advocate leniency. Similarly, each of the attributes of Tohu could only express their nature and could not understand or tolerate a different quality.
וְלָכֵן
For this reason,
A narrative in the Torah is not just a story of events that transpired in this world; it is a manifestation of spiritual reality, showing us what is happening in the spiritual realms above. All the stories of the Torah actually occurred, with all their details in accord with the straightforward understanding of the Biblical narrative. However, they also contain a spiritual meaning that reflects the makeup of the higher realms. Indeed, fundamentally, the Torah is a description of spiritual reality. That spiritual reality shapes the nature of our material existence — to the extent that these truths manifest themselves in the events and situations in this material world.12
כְּתִיב בָּהֶם וַיִּמְלֹךְ וַיָּמָת כוּ',
The Torah states that the kings of Edom, the physical counterparts of the attributes of Tohu successively “reigned and died.”13
כַּיָּדוּעַ שֶׁזֶּה עִנְיַן שְׁבִירַת הַכֵּלִים,
This reflects the well-known kabbalisticconcept of the shattering of the vessels of the realm of Tohu.
Our Sages14 state that G‑d “built worlds and destroyed them.” In Chassidus,15it is explained that this refers to the world of Tohu (chaos), which preceded our realm, the world of Tikkun, but which was destroyed in the spiritual cataclysm referred to as sheviras hakeilim, “the breaking of the vessels.”
To explain: As the Divine light and life energy began to flow downward to lower rungs, sefiros — Divine attributes comprised of oros, lights, and keilim — vessels, came into existence. In the realm of Tohu, the oros were extremely intense and powerful. As a result, these attributes did not bond and interrelate with each other. They were absorbed in their own self-expression and could not conceive of — and had difficulty tolerating — another attribute. This reduced their stability. Moreover, the keilim intended for these lights were insubstantial in nature.
As a consequence, they shattered and their remnants — the sparks of Tohu, to borrow Kabbalistic terminology — underwent a descent through the Spiritual Cosmos until they became enclothed in the material substance of our physical world. Through the descent they underwent, they became more distant from G‑dliness. Ultimately, the individuality that characterized them underwent a change. Their spiritual self-orientation turned into a self-centered approach to all things.
שֶׁמִּזֶּה נַעֲשֶׂה עִנְיַן הַפֵּרוּד בִּקְלִפָּה וְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא.
The fundamental self-orientation and intolerance that led to the shattering also brought about the division that characterizes kelipah and the sitra achra.
וְזֶה עִנְיַן קְלִפַּת מִדְיָן, שֶׁהוּא הַמָּדוֹן וְרִיב בִּבְחִינַת הַפֵּרוּד כוּ',
This constitutes the kelipah of Midian, i.e., qualities of strife, contention, and separateness.
שֶׁזֶּהוּ מַה שֶּׁנָּפַל בִּשְׁבִירָה מִכְּלָלוּת עִנְיַן הַתֹּהוּ
This is the result of the “fall” that followed the “shattering” of Tohu,
The Seder Hahishtalshelus16 (Spiritual Cosmos) is characterized by a pattern of chainlike descent. The term chainlike is used because all of the levels are interconnected like the links of a chain. By contrast, the descent of the sparks of Tohu is described as a “fall” because as the sparks exist in a state of descent, they have no connection to their initial level.
שֶׁהָיוּ הַמִּדּוֹת בִּבְחִינַת פֵּרוּד כוּ'.
in which the emotive attributes were discordant.
In the realm of Tohu, though the emotive attributes were discordant, they were all holy, expressions of spiritual truth. However, after they shattered and fell, the fundamental qualities of self-orientation and separateness that characterized that realm came into expression and received prominence.
וְלָכֵן אֵין מִדְיָן בִּכְלַל הַז' אֻמּוֹת,
Therefore, Midian is not included among the seven nations who lived in Eretz Yisrael.
As mentioned above, the Torah’s narratives are not merely history; they represent spiritual reality. The Jews were promised Eretz Yisrael in which lived
דְּז' אֻמּוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַחִתִּי כוּ'
seven nations: the Canaanites, Chittites, etc.17,
הֵם בְּהַז' מִדּוֹת פְּרָטִיּוֹת,
These nations represent the seven specific emotive attributes of the realm of evil.
כָּל אֶחָד בְּמִדָּה פְּרָטִית דְּתֹהוּ,
Each of these nations represents one specific attribute of Tohu:
כְּנַעֲנִי חֶסֶד, חִתִּי גְּבוּרָה כוּ',
the Canaanites — Chessed, the Chittites — Gevurah, etc…,
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב,
as discussed in Kehilas Yaakov.
וְכָל אֶחָד הוּא קְלִפָּה פְּרָטִית מִמִּדָּה פְּרָטִית דְּתֹהוּ,
Each of these seven nations represents a specific kelipah, one of the specific attributes of Tohu
וּמְנַגֶּדֶת לְמִדָּה פְּרָטִית דִּקְדֻשָּׁה כוּ'.
and opposes a specific attribute of holiness. The Jews were charged with the mission of conquering the lands of these nations and transforming them into Eretz Yisrael. In a spiritual sense, that refers to man’s efforts to refine and transform his emotional qualities.
אָמְנָם קְלִפַּת מִדְיָן אֵינָהּ מִמִּדָּה פְּרָטִית,
The kelipah of Midian, by contrast, does not relate to a specific attribute.
כִּי אִם מִכְּלָלוּת עִנְיַן הַתֹּהוּ, שֶׁהוּא עִנְיַן הַפֵּרוּד,
It does not represent any one attribute of Tohu, but rather the entire realm, which, in general, is characterized by separation and division.
שֶׁזֶּהוּ הַכְּלָל שֶׁהָיָה בִּכְלָלוּת הַתֹּהוּ
Midian refers to the fundamental characteristic of separation that defines the realm of Tohu as a whole.
שֶׁהָיוּ בִּבְחִינַת עַנְפִין מִתְפָּרְדִין כוּ'.
Hence, it is described as “separate branches.”18
וְזֹאת הָיְתָה סִבַּת הַשְּׁבִירָה דְתֹהוּ
This trend toward separation is the primary reason for “the shattering of the vessels” of Tohu.
מַה שֶּׁנִּשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּ
Through a chain of progressive descent (hishtalshelus),
The term hishtalshelus refers to the chainlike scheme wherein the descent and progressive contraction of the Divine light gives rise to the existence of increasingly more defined and limited realms of existence.
To explain: The kabbalists speak of spiritual worlds. To expound upon that concept by way of analogy: The term sweetness is applied in many different contexts. For example, food is described as being sweet, a melody is called sweet, a person is referred to as sweet, and there is even (to refer to a colloquial Yiddish expression), a zise svara, “asweet concept.”19
Now, there are many levels within each of these categories themselves. There are multiple different types of sweet foods, songs, persons, and ideas. However, the difference between two types of sweet food is of a totally diverse nature than the difference between sweet food and a sweet song. The sweetness of both foods can be tasted by the palate, while the sweetness of a song requires the use of higher senses, and the sweetness of a person and an idea cannot be perceived by our physical senses at all. Nevertheless, the same term is used to describe all these four types of sweetness.
In other words, the same motif can exist on different planes and in different forms, and the lower manifestation of the motif can be seen as an analogy for the higher one. A similar concept applies regarding the various levels of spiritual existence. As Divine light and life-energy descend from a higher to a lower plane, their multiple expressions take on different forms and manifestations.
What distinguishes a lower plane from a higher one? The degree of self-awareness possessed by the created beings of that realm and the corresponding degree to which the G‑dly light that shines in that realm is veiled.
In that vein, Chassidus20 interprets the verse describing King Shlomoh’s wisdom,21 “He related 3000 analogies,” explaining that King Shlomoh would relate 3000 analogies for every Torah concept. He would see — and explain to others — every Torah idea as it exists on 3000 planes of existence;22 each analogy he gave was a manifestation of the same concept on a lower level of existence. Since these levels of existence followed a pattern of progressive descent, they are considered as links in a chain.
The above explanation is appropriate to describe Seder HaHishtalshus as a whole. However, an additional explanation is necessary with regard to the sparks of Tohu. The Seder HaHishtalshus as a whole is described as having undergone a chainlike descent, i.e., the lower level shares a connection to the higher level. In contrast, the sparks of Tohu are described as having fallen, i.e., their lowly state is not directly connected to their source. Accordingly, although the source for a lion on this physical plane is the angel identified with “the face of the lion” in Yechezkel’s vision of the Divine chariot,23 that source is a lofty level of holiness. By contrast, a lion on the physical plane is a nonkosher animal with cruel tendencies.
הַז' מִדּוֹת רָעוֹת הוּא מִצַּד הַפֵּרוּד שֶׁהָיָה בְּתֹהוּ,
the separation that characterized the realms of Tohu gave rise to the seven evil emotive attributes.
שֶׁזֶּהוּ הַסִּבָּה כְּלָלִית לְהַשְּׁבִירָה דְּכֵלִים דְּתֹהוּ כוּ'.
As mentioned, this separation is the general reason for the shattering of the vessels of Tohu.
וְזֶהוּ עִנְיַן קְלִפַּת מִדְיָן לְמַטָּה,
The kelipah of Midian in this world is an extension and a result of the fundamental separation that characterized Tohu
שֶׁאֵינָהּ בִּכְלַל הַז' עֲמָמִין,
and, therefore, is not included among the seven nations,
לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָהּ בְּמִדָּה פְּרָטִית,
for it is not an individual quality,
כִּי אִם בִּכְלָלוּת הַתֹּהוּ שֶׁהוּא הַפֵּרוּד,
but rather represents the general condition of Tohu, which is division.
שֶׁזֶּהוּ שֹׁרֶשׁ וּמְקוֹר סִבַּת הַשְּׁבִירָה כוּ'.
It is not an effect of the “shattering” but rather the root and source of the “shattering.”
It is not that division resulted from the shattering of the Sefiros of Tohu and their fall. Instead, in their very source, the Sefiros of Tohu were characterized by a thrust towards self-orientation. In the realm of Tohu itself, that self-orientation was expressed in a desire to cling to G‑d. However, after the “shattering” and the subsequent descent, that self-orientation was expressed in division and led to strife.
As will be explained in the subsequent chapters, our Divine service involves refining and transforming our seven emotional qualities, corresponding to the seven Canaanite nations. Therefore, their lands were to be conquered and made part of Eretz Yisrael. The land of Midian was not to be conquered, for the general quality of self-orientation that leads to division and strife must be uprooted and elimitated entirely; it cannot be transformed into holiness.
קִצּוּר.
Summary:
קְלִפַּת מִדְיָן עִנְיָנָהּ מָדוֹן וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם.
The kelipah of Midian is identified with strife and baseless hatred.
ז' אֻמּוֹת - ז' מִדּוֹת פְּרָטִיּוֹת.
The seven Canaanite nations represent the seven specific middos in the realm of kelipah.
The chapter continues the discussion of the spiritual counterpart of Midian, the quality leading to strife and contention that exists within our hearts. It explains that Midian reflects the innate self-orientation that characterizes kelipah. This distinguishes the realm of kelipah from the realm of holiness. Holiness is characterized by bittul, which leads to unity. By contrast, kelipah is characterized by self-orientation, which leads to separation and, ultimately, strife.
The chapter emphasizes the source for the self-orientation of Midian, the realm of Tohu. Although the Sefiros of Tohu were lofty spiritual powers, they were characterized by self-orientation. True, they represented a rung of holiness. However, because of the intensity of their light, they were fundamentally unstable. This brought about the spiritual cataclysm known as sheviras hakeilim, “the breaking of the vessels.” After the keilim of the Sefiros of Tohu shattered, their remnants underwent a radical descent that led to the kelipah of Midian, the quality that brings about the separation, strife, and contention that prevails in our world.
