In the previous chapter, the Rebbe Rashab focused on the oneness generated by G‑d’s name Havayah. He explained that this name of G‑d does not refer to unity that exists in contrast to multiplicity, but rather to a oneness that encompasses multiplicity, allowing for the existence of multiple entities that join together in absolute singularity.
In this chapter, he begins a more detailed discussion of G‑d’s name Havayah. He starts that discussion by focusing on the first letter of that name, the yud.
וּבֵאוּר הָעִנְיָן צְרִיכִים לְהַקְדִּים תְּחִלָּה
In order to better understand this concept,1 we must initially
לְהָבִין עִנְיַן הַב' אוֹתִיּוֹת י"ה דְּשֵׁם הוי'
clarify the function of the first two letters, yud and hei, of G‑d’s name Havayah:
As will be explained below, these two letters are identified with the Sefiros of Chochmah and Binah respectively.
שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת צִמְצוּם וְהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת כוּ'.
The yud reflects the Sefirah of Chochmah, which involves contraction (tzimtzum), and the hei, the Sefirah of Binah, which involves expansion (hispashtus).
דְּהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ הַכְּלָל בְּכָל מָקוֹם
There is a well-known general principle
שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר הַמַּשְׁפִּיעַ רוֹצֶה לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ וּלְהַמְשִׁיךְ אוֹר אֶל הַמְקַבֵּל
that whenever a mashpia, a source of effluence,2 wishes to transmit and draw down effluence (shefa) and light (or)3 to a mekabel, a recipient
שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּעֶרֶךְ אֵלָיו כְּלָל
who is incomparably lower than him,
מֻכְרָח שֶׁיְּצַמְצֵם אוֹר עַצְמוּתוֹ מִכֹּל וָכֹל,
the mashpia must entirely restrain his essential light,4 so that it is not revealed at all.
כִּי לֹא יוּכַל הַמְקַבֵּל לְקַבֵּל
This is necessary because the mekabel (recipient) is incapable of receiving
כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָאוֹר וְהַשֶּׁפַע בְּהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת בְּגַדְלוּת וּבְהַרְחָבָה גְדוֹלָה בְּהַמַּשְׁפִּיעַ כוּ',
the light and effluence as it exists in the expanded, vast, and extensively broad state within the mashpia.
If the mashpia would communicate the light as it exists within himself, the recipient would not be able to receive it. It would overwhelm him and perhaps cause harm.5 To explain using the previous analogy of a teacher and student: If a teacher would communicate an idea as he understands it, it would confuse the student and prevent him from grasping it.
כִּי אִם אַחַר שֶׁיַּנִּיחַ וּמְצַמְצֵם כָּל עַצְמוּתוֹ וּמַהוּתוֹ
Only after the mashpia sets aside and restrains the essence and fundamental nature of the light in its entirety,
וְיַשְׁאִיר וְיַבְדִּיל בְּצִמְצוּם
retaining and setting apart in a concentrated form
רַק כְּחֵלֶק קָטָן מְאֹד
only a very limited portion, will he be able to communicate it to the recipient.
To refer to the analogy of a teacher and a student: After the teacher holds back his own understanding, he must contemplate who his student is and what is necessary to communicate to him, taking into account what the student will be able to accept and comprehend. Similarly, in a larger sense, every mashpia must define
הַנִּצְרָךְ וְרָאוּי לָבוֹא לִידֵי הַשְׁפָּעָה
what is necessary and fit to be conveyed.
שֶׁמִּזֶּה יֻמְשַׁךְ הָאוֹר וְשֶׁפַע לַמְקַבְּלִים עַל כָּל פָּנִים,
When that definition is made and the mashpia sets apart a limited portion of the light and effluence he originally possessed, it is possible to draw down at least a certain measure of light and effluence to the recipients.
וְהַיְנוּ עִנְיַן הַנְּקֻדָּה כוּ'
This limited portion is, in Kabbalistic terms, described through the concept of a “point” (nekudah).
At the beginning of the chapter, the Rebbe Rashab stated that he would explain the yud and hei of G‑d’s name Havayah in greater detail. He focuses here on the letter yud, which is associated with a condensed point.
שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ ב' מִינֵי צִמְצוּמִים,
There are two aspects of tzimtzum within this point.
הָא'
The first,
מַה שֶּׁנִּתְצַמְצֵם וְנִתְעַלֵּם כָּל אוֹר הָעַצְמוּת דְּמַשְׁפִּיעַ
is the total withdrawal and concealment of the essential light of the mashpia,
וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר בְּגִלּוּי
with nothing being left in a revealed state.
רַק הַנְּקֻדָּה הָאַחַת דְּיוּ"ד
All that remains is one point, the yud.
שֶׁזֶּהוּ הַנִּשְׁאָר מִן הַצִּמְצוּם וְהַהֶעְלֵם לְגַמְרֵי
This is all that remains from the light after it underwent the total contraction and concealment from its state as possessed by the mashpia.
מַה שֶּׁרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת בָּא בְּהַשְׁפָּעָה וְהַמְשָׁכָה בְּגִלּוּי לַמְקַבְּלִים עַל כָּל פָּנִים כוּ'.
That point contains the limited measure of light and effluence that is fit to be conveyed and drawn down in a revealed state to the mekabelim.
This represents the mashpia’s effort to condense the light and transmit it to the recipient.
וְהַב' הוּא
The second aspect of the point refers to the manner in which the recipient regards what is conveyed to him.
From the recipient’s perspective,
שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁנִּשְׁאָר מִן הַשֶּׁפַע הוּא גַם כֵּן בִּבְחִינַת צִמְצוּם דַּוְקָא
even the limited portion of the effluence6 that remains after the mashpia’s effort to condense it is itself also in a contracted state;
Even though the mashpia has defined what he thinks the recipient can accept and extended it to him, what he transmits to the recipient is in an intermediate state. On one hand, the recipient can grasp it. On the other hand, the extent to which he grasps it is limited, because
וְהוּא מַה שֶּׁאֵינוֹ רַק כִּנְקֻדָּה א' בִּלְתִּי בָּא בְּהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת וְהַרְחָבָה עֲדַיִן
it is only a point without expansion or breadth.
שֶׁזֶּהוּ צִמְצוּם וְהֶעְלֵם
Thus, it is in a contracted and concealed state. The recipient cannot really say that he has comprehended it.
וְנִקְרָא אַיִן לִהְיוֹתָהּ נְקֻדָּה לְבָד
It is called ayin (“nothing”), for it is only a point;
Just as in geometry, a point has no dimensions, so too, what the mashpia has conveyed still has no form;
שֶׁהוּא בִּלְתִּי נִמְשָׁךְ עֲדַיִן בִּבְחִינַת הַמְשָׁכָה וְהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת
it has yet to be drawn down to the extent that it can be conveyed to the recipient and expanded within his frame of reference.
וְאֵינָהּ בִּבְחִינַת גִּלּוּי עֲדַיִן כוּ'.
It is not yet in a state of revelation in the framework of the recipient.
The point thus represents the concentrated core of the effluence. For the mashpia, it is what he has condensed from the light he possessed previously. He feels that the recipient could accept this point and develop a structure from it. For the recipient, it is the source point from which he will derive the effluence and expand it.
וְכָךְ יוּבַן לְמַעְלָה בְּדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל
These explanations will help us understand, in general terms, the parallel in the spiritual realms above
בְּעִנְיַן אוֹת הַיּוּ"ד דְּשֵׁם הוי'
regarding the concept of the yud of G‑d’s name Havayah.
דְּלִהְיוֹת שֶׁעַצְמוּת אוֹר אֵין סוֹף בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוּא בְּחִינַת אוֹר פָּשׁוּט בְּתַכְלִית
Since the essence of G‑d’s infinite light is utterly simple, without any definition or differentiation,
בִּלְתִּי יָכוֹל לָבוֹא בְּגִלּוּי אוֹר
it cannot be manifest as revealed light.
The term “revealed light” refers to light that can be manifest and appreciated within the realm of the created beings. As G‑d’s light exists in its initial state, it is too lofty to be appreciated by the created beings because it is above the entire frame of reference in which they exist. Therefore, as mentioned above, the light must be withdrawn entirely.
לִהְיוֹת אֲפִלּוּ מָקוֹר לְכָל הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת כוּ'
It is too lofty to serve even as the source7 of the entire Spiritual Cosmos, the chainlike progression of spiritual realms.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב כִּי עִמְּךָ מְקוֹר חַיִּים
Thus, it is written,8 “For with You is the source of life.”
דְּגַם מְקוֹר הַחַיִּים הוּא רַק עִמְּךָ לְבָד
The implication is that even the “source of life” is only with You.
G‑d’s Essence, and even the essence of His light, is not the direct source of creation.9 Rather, from His Essence emanates G‑dly light and from a ray of that light, the worlds are brought into being. That ray is “the source of life” and is only “with You,” secondary to G‑d’s Essence, and even the essence of His light.
The Rebbe Rashab is explaining that all existence stems from G‑d’s Essence. His essential desire for a dwelling in the lowest of realms, i.e., our material world, brought all existence into being. As a result of that desire, His infinite light (Or Ein Sof) emanates from His essence. However, since His light is representative of His Essence, His light is also of an utterly transcendent nature and cannot serve as a direct source for creation. Therefore, the essence of His light must be withdrawn entirely. Afterwards, a limited ray of light is emitted, and from it, defined existence comes into being. That limited ray
שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּעֶרֶךְ הָעַצְמוּת כְּלָל כוּ'.
is utterly incomparable to the essence of G‑d’s light.
וְנִקְרָא סְתִימוּ דְכָל סְתִימִין דְּלֵית מַחֲשָׁבָה תְּפִיסָא בֵיהּ כְּלָל
The essence of Hislight is described as “hidden beyond all hiddenness,”10 for “no thought can grasp Him atall;”11
גַּם לֹא בְּחִינַת מַחֲשָׁבָה הַקְּדוּמָה כוּ'.
not even the Primeval Thought (machshavah hakedumah), the initial thought to bring the worlds into being, can comprehend the essence of His light.
וְלָזֹאת לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת גִּלּוּי אוֹר וְשֶׁפַע מְקוֹרִיִּים לְהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת
Thus, from this essential light, there could not be a revelation of light and effusion of creative energy that would serve as a source from which the chainlike progression of worlds that constitutes existence could come into being.
כִּי אִם עַל יְדֵי הַצִּמְצוּם
This is possible only through the process of tzimtzum.
Generally, tzimtzum is translated as “contraction.” Here, however, the intent is
שֶׁהוּא עִנְיַן הִתְעַלְּמוּת הָאוֹר.
the concealment of G‑d’s essentiallight.
שֶׁהָאוֹר נִכְלָל וְנִתְעַלֵּם בְּעַצְמוּתוֹ תְּחִלָּה
That essential light is first absorbed and concealed within G‑d’s Essence. To refer back to the analogy used above: Were the teacher to communicate a concept as he understands it to the student, the student would be incapable of comprehending it and could become confused. Therefore, the teacher must hold back his own conception of theidea
כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבוֹא אַחַר כָּךְ אֶפֶס קָצֵהוּ לִידֵי בְּחִינַת גִּלּוּי אוֹר,
so that afterward, a minute glimmer of it could be revealed —
וְהַיְנוּ כְּפִי הַנִּצְרָךְ לְעִנְיַן הַשֶּׁפַע לָעוֹלָמוֹת בִּכְלָלוּת
only as much as is necessary for there to be effluence to bring the worlds into being and maintain their existence.
שֶׁהוּא הַיּוּ"ד כוּ'.
This minute glimmer, i.e., the first revelation of light from which existence as we know it comes intobeing is signified by the letter yud of G‑d’s name Havayah.
וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר מְגַלֶּה עֲמֻקּוֹת מִנִּי חֹשֶׁךְ
Concerning this, it is stated,12 “He reveals deep things from the darkness.”
דְּמִבְּחִינַת חֹשֶׁך וְהֶעְלֵם הָעַצְמִי דְּאֵין סוֹף שֶׁנִּקְרָא חֹשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ
“Darkness” refers to the essential darkness and concealment of the Ein Sof which is known as “the darkness of His secret place,”13
שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת סְתִימוּ דְכָל סְתִימִין כוּ'
the state at which He is “hidden beyond all hiddenness.”
In our framework of reference, something that is concealed is shaded by another entity that prevents us from seeing it. When we say that G‑d is concealed, we mean something else entirely — that He exists in a different state of being than ours. As such, not only is He concealed from the perception of the created beings, He is fundamentally unknowable, for knowledge implies grasping an entity that has a defined form and G‑d is totally above definition, unable to be known even by the loftiest spiritual entities.14
נִמְשָׁךְ גִּלּוּי בְּחִינַת הַנְּקֻדָּה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת לְעֵיל כוּ'.
From this essential level of concealment is drawn down the initial point of revelation mentioned above,
וְהַיְנוּ לְאַחַר הַצִּמְצוּם וְהַהֶעְלֵם שֶׁנִּקְרָא עֲמֻקּוֹת דְּחֹשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ
i.e., after the tzimtzum and concealment referred to as the “deep recesses” of “the darkness of His secret place,”
נִמְשָׁךְ אַחַר כָּךְ בְּחִינַת גִּלּוּי אוֹר כוּ'.
an aspect of revealed light is drawn down afterwards.
אָמְנָם הַגִּלּוּי הַזֶּה הוּא רַק נְקֻדָּה לְבָד
Nevertheless, this revelation is merely a point,
שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הֶעְלֵם עֲדַיִן לְגַבֵּי הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת.
and is still concealed in relation to the chainlike order of the worlds that will come into being from it.
To refer back to the analogy of the teacher and the student: The student receives the concept from the teacher while it is still without form and definition.
דְּעִם הֱיוֹת שֶׁזֶּהוּ מַה שֶּׁנִּשְׁאָר מֵהָאוֹר
True, this is what remains of the original light,
לִהְיוֹת בִּבְחִינַת גִּלּוּי בְּהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת כוּ',
i.e., it is the concentrated point that was intended to serve as the starting point for the revelation that would bring into being the chainlike order of the worlds.
זֶהוּ לְאַחַר שֶׁתָּבוֹא הַנְּקֻדָּה בִּבְחִינַת הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת כוּ'.
However, those worlds can come into being only after this initial point undergoes expansion and development.
אֲבָל כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִיא בִּבְחִינַת נְקֻדָּה
By contrast, as it exists in the state of a “point,”
הִיא לְמַעְלָה עֲדַיִן מִבְּחִינַת גִּלּוּי כוּ'.
it is still beyond revelation.
וְנִקְרָא אַיִן הֵן לְגַבֵּי הָעַצְמוּת לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ תּוֹפֵס מָקוֹם וְאֵינָהּ בְּעֶרֶךְ כוּ',
It is called ayin (“nothingness”). That term is appropriate to describe its relation to G‑d’s Essence and even its relation to the essence of His light — because it is insignificant and incomparable to them —
וְהֵן לְגַבֵּי הָעוֹלָמוֹת לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּבְחִינַת גִּלּוּי עֲדַיִן כוּ'.
and also to describe its relation to the worlds — because it is not yet revealed and cannot be perceived and grasped by them.
קִצּוּר.
Summary:
בְּהַשְׁפָּעָה לִמְקַבֵּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּעֶרֶךְ
When effluence is transmitted to a mekabel who is not comparable to the mashpia,
צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת הֶעְלֵם אוֹר הָעַצְמוּת וְצִמְצוּם הָאוֹר הַנִּשְׁאָר,
it is necessary for the essential light to be concealed and the remaining light to be contracted.
נְקֻדָּה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִגִּלּוּי.
The result is a point, still beyond revelation,
יוּ"ד דְּשֵׁם הוי'.
represented by the yud of G‑d’s name Havayah.
