In the previous chapter, the Rebbe Rashab began explaining the motifs of revelation and concealment as they exist in their ultimate source: G‑d’s infinite light and the tzimtzum that brought about the withdrawal of that light.
He explained the stages in the sequence:
a) the initial revelation of G‑d’s infinite light;
b) the withdrawal of that light, the tzimtzum, to the extent that all that remained was a concentrated point, the reshimu;
c) the emanation of the kav, a vector of light, from the reshimu; and
d) the manner in which the entire realm of limited existence came into being from the kav.
In the present chapter, he explains that this process of revelation and concealment is relevant only because of G‑d’s desire to bring the worlds into existence. Since the creation of limited worlds involves a drastic transition, the process of tzimtzum was necessary.
אַךְ הִנֵּה כָּל זֶה אֵינוֹ שַׁיָּיךְ רַק
Nevertheless, it must be emphasized that the entire sequence described above — the tzimtzum and the radiation of the light of the kav — became relevant only
כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּצְרַךְ לִהְיוֹת בְּחִינַת הַשְׁפָּעָה וְהַמְשָׁכָה מֵעַצְמוּת אוֹר אֵין סוֹף בָּרוּךְ הוּא
when G‑d desired to bring the world into existence. Consequently, it was necessary that effluence flow forth from the essence of G‑d’s infinite light
בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּחִינַת מָקוֹר כְּלָלִי לְהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת מֵאַיִן לְיֵשׁ,
so that it could serve as a general source for the chain-like progression of worlds — the spiritual worlds and our material world — bringing them into being from absolute nothingness.
שֶׁבְּהֶכְרַח צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת תְּחִלָּה עַל יְדֵי צִמְצוּם וְהֶעְלֵם דְּאוֹר הָעַצְמוּת מַמָּשׁ
For existence that is defined and limited to come into being, it is necessary that the light of G‑d’s Essence first undergo tzimtzum and concealment,
שֶׁנִּבְדָּל וּמְרוֹמָם בְּעֶרֶךְ כוּ',
for that light is separate and elevated beyond all connection to our entire limited framework of existence,
וּכְנִזְכָּר לְעֵיל בְּמָשָׁל דְּמַשְׁפִּיעַ שֶׁנִּבְדָּל בְּעֶרֶךְ מִן הַמְקַבֵּל
as mentioned above in the analogy of a mashpia whose understanding is set apart, beyond comparison with those who receive teachings from him.
שֶׁמּוּכְרָח לְצַמְצֵם כָּל עַצְמוּתוֹ
When he desires to share his wisdom with them, he must first withdraw the entire essence of his understanding,
וְנִשְׁאָר רַק אֶפֶס קָצֵהוּ בִּבְחִינַת נְקֻדָּה א' כוּ'.
leaving only a trace of his original conception, a single, concentrated point.1
וּכְמוֹ כֵן הוּא בְּדוּגְמָא כָּזֹאת בְּעַצְמוּת אוֹר אֵין סוֹף בָּרוּךְ הוּא
A similar motif applies regarding the essence of G‑d’s infinite light.
שֶׁבְּהֶכְרַח לְצַמְצֵם אוֹר הָעַצְמוּת
First, the light of G‑d’s Essence must be withdrawn,
וְנִשְׁאַר רַק נְקֻדָּה אַחַת
leaving only a single point,
מַה שֶּׁאֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת מָקוֹר לְהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת,
which can serve as a source for the chain-like progression of existence.
וְהַנְקֻדָּה הִיא גַם כֵּן בְּחִינַת הֶעְלֵם עֲדַיִן
Even then, this point is also still concealed, above revelation.1
וּמִן הַנְקֻדָּה נִמְשָׁךְ בְּחִינַת הַקַּו שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת גִילּוּי כוּ'.
For the worlds to come into being, a further stage is necessary, that being the emanation of the kav, a vector of light, that brings about revelation from this concealed point.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ כִּבְרִיָּיתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם בְּרֵישָׁא חֲשׁוֹכָא וַהֲדַר נְהוֹרָא,
This is the meaning of the teaching,2 “Like the creation of the world, there was first darkness and then light.”
פֵּירוּשׁ כִּבְרִיָּיתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם דַּוְקָא כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּא לִכְלַל הַשְׁפָּעָה
“Like the creation of the world” refers specifically to the process initiated when G‑d desired to transmit light and vitality to bring existence into being and
לִהְיוֹת נִקְרָא מַשְׁפִּיעַ מִלְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה בִּבְחִינַת דִּילּוּג הָעֶרֶךְ
be referred to as a mashpia. Conveying that light and vitality from above — i.e., the essence of G‑d’s infinite light, to below, the created worlds, including this material realm — requires a “leap” (dilug), the bridging of an incomparable gap.
אָז בְּרֵישָׁא חֲשׁוֹכָא בְּחִינַת הַהֶעְלֵם וְהַצִּמְצוּם
To bridge that gap, there must be “first darkness,” i.e., concealment and tzimtzum,
וַהֲדַר נְהוֹרָא בִּבְחִינַת הַנְקֻדָּה דִרְשִׁימָה וְגִילּוּי הַקַּו כוּ'.
“and then light,” i.e., the point of the reshimu and the revelation of the kav.
וּכְמוֹ כֵן הוּא מֵאֲצִילוּת לִבְרִיאָה-יְצִירָה-עֲשִׂיָּה
A similar process occurs during the transition from Atzilus, the realm of existence that is one with G‑d, to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, the three realms where created beings feel their own identity. The drastic transition from Atzilus to the realms below it
שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת עַל יְדֵי צִמְצוּם וְהֶעְלֵם בַּתְּחִלָּה,
requires that there first be tzimtzum and concealment;
וַהֲדַר נִמְשָׁךְ גִילּוּי אוֹר בִּבְרִיאָה-יְצִירָה-עֲשִׂיָּה
and only afterwards is the light revealed in these three worlds.
(וְשָׁם הוּא בְּחִינַת הַפַּרְסָא כוּ'
(However, in this case, the nature of the concealment the light undergoes is different. In contrast to the absolute withdrawal of light that constitutes the initial tzimtzum, the manner in which the light is transmitted from Atzilus to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyahis described by the analogy of passing through a parsa (“shade”).
The initial tzimtzum involved a total withdrawal of the light. Otherwise, it would not have been possible to bring limited existence into being. The light of the kav, by contrast, is already a limited light. Therefore, a total withdrawal was not necessary. Nevertheless, to enable a transmission from one spiritual world to another, there has to be a tzimtzum, because every level of the Spiritual Cosmos is unique. If the light on one level would continue to shine — even if the amount of light that shines was reduced — there would not be another level. Rather, it is necessary that there be a tzimtzum involving a radical transition that intervenes between the loftier level and the level below it.
However, unlike the first tzimtzum that involved a total withdrawal of light, the tzimtzumim between levels in the Spiritual Cosmos are of a different nature. They are described with the term parsa, “shade.” That analogy is appropriate to describe these transitions because when light shines through a shade, the initial source of that light is not seen, and the light itself undergoes a change. Similarly, the light that shines in one spiritual “world” is different than the light that shines in a world lower than it and the light of the higher realm is not perceived as it inherently shines forth.
וְעַיֵּין מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב מִזֶּה בְּתוֹרָה אוֹר דִּיבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל פָּתַח אֵלִיָּהוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת וַיֵּרָא.
See the statements concerning this in Torah Or, the maamar entitled Pasach Eliyahu in Parshas Vayeira;
וְעַיֵּין מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּעֵץ חַיִּים שַׁעַר הַנְּקוּדִּים פֶּרֶק ב'.)
see also what is written in Etz Chayim, Shaar HaNikkudim, ch. 2.)
וְכֵן מַה שֶּׁכְּלָלוּת אֲצִילוּת הוּא מְמוּצָּע בֵּין הַמַּאֲצִיל אֶל הַנִּבְרָאִים הוּא גַם כֵּן בְּאוֹפֶן כָּזֶה
A similar process occurs regarding Atzilus, which in a general sense, serves as an intermediary between G‑d, the Source of emanation, and the created beings:
The manner in which, as a whole, Atzilus serves as an intermediary between G‑d, the Source of emanation, and the created beings, follows a pattern similar to that described above:
שֶׁנִּתְעַלֵּם תְּחִלָּה אוֹר עַצְמוּת הַמַּאֲצִיל
First, the light of G‑d’s Essence, the Source of emanation, is concealed, there is a parsa separating between Atzilus and the realms above it,3 restraining the light that shines in those realms,
וְנִשְׁאַר רַק נְקֻדָּה אַחַת וְהִיא נְקֻדָּה דְחָכְמָה יוּ"ד דְּשֵׁם הוי'
leaving only a single point — the point of Chochmah, the yud of G‑d’s name Havayah,
שֶׁזֶּהוּ מַה שֶּׁאֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לִידֵי גִילּוּי כוּ'.
This point contains within it the potential for all that can be revealed.
אָמְנָם הִיא גַם כֵּן בִּבְחִינַת הֶעְלֵם עֲדַיִן
Nevertheless, this point is also still concealed,
וּבָאָה לִידֵי גִילּוּי אַחַר כָּךְ בְּבִינָה
and becomes revealed only afterward, in Binah,
שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אוֹת הֵ"א כוּ' כְּנִזְכָּר לְעֵיל.
which is represented by the letter hei, as mentioned previously.4
וְכָל זֶה הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה מָקוֹר לָעוֹלָמוֹת,
All the above — the process of concealment followed by revelation relates to G‑d’s light as it becomes a source of the worlds, i.e., it is relevant only after G‑d desired to bring limited existence into being.
אֲבָל קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם הֲרֵי הָיָה הוּא וּשְׁמוֹ בִּלְבָד,
However, “Before the world was created” — i.e., before His desire for existence — “there was only Him and His name.”5
דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה רַק גִילּוּי אוֹר דְּעַצְמוּת הָאֵין סוֹף בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא
There was nothing but the revelation of the light of the Essence of G‑d’s infinity, His light as it exists unto itself,
שֶׁלֹּא בָא עֲדַיִן לִכְלַל הַשְׁפָּעָה וְהַמְשָׁכָה מֵעַצְמוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ כוּ'.
before that light was in any way on a level that allowed for transmission and drawing down from His Essence,
וְהַיְנוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה אוֹר הָרִאשׁוֹן מֵאִיר וּמְמַלֵּא כָּל הֶחָלָל וּמָקוֹם פָּנוּי דְּעַכְשָׁיו כוּ',
i.e., as the original light radiated forth and filled the entirety of what is now “the void and the vacant space.”
The Rebbe Rashab is emphasizing that before the tzimtzum, there was no concept of anything other than His light. The concept of a “void and vacant space” became relevant only after the tzimtzum.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּעֵץ חַיִּים
Thus, Etz Chayim states,6
שֶׁהָיָה אוֹר עֶלְיוֹן פָּשׁוּט מְמַלֵּא כָּל הַמְּצִיאוּת כוּ'
“The simple Supernal Light filled all of existence...
קוֹדֶם שֶׁעָלָה בִּרְצוֹנוֹ כִּבְיָכוֹל לִבְרוֹא כוּ'.
before there arose in His will, as it were,7the desire to create...”
קִצּוּר.
Summary:
לְהַשְׁפָּעָה צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת צִמְצוּם וְהֶעְלֵם
To transmit from a mashpia on a lofty level to a recipient on a drastically lower level, there must first be tzimtzum and concealment.
וּכְמוֹ מֵעַצְמוּת אוֹר אֵין סוֹף,
For example, in all the following instances — from the essence of G‑d’s infinite light to the Spiritual Cosmos, the chainlike order of existence,
מֵאֲצִילוּת לִבְרִיאָה-יְצִירָה-עֲשִׂיָּה,
from Atzilus to the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah,
מִמַּאֲצִיל לַנִּבְרָאִים.
and from G‑d, the Source of Emanation to the created beings as they come into existence through the intermediate stage of Atzilus — tzimtzum is necessary.
מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם.
By contrast, before the world — and indeed all existence, even the loftiest rungs of spiritual existence — were brought into being, there was no concealment. G‑d’s infinite light was revealed.
