In chapter 29, the Rebbe Rashab explained that it is possible to achieve a fusion of opposite tendencies through drawing down an essential light that transcends them both. In chapter 30, he explained that the medium to draw down this essential light is the Torah. The present chapter explains why the Torah serves as this medium.
וְהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ בְּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב הוי' בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אָרֶץ
It is well known that the verse,1 “G‑d established the earth with wisdom,”
שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחָכְמָה דְתוֹרָה דַוְקָא
refers specifically to the wisdom of Torah,
לְפִי שֶׁאֵין הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת וְגִילּוּי אוֹר אֵין סוֹף רַק בְּחָכְמָה דְתוֹרָה דַוְקָא.
for only in the wisdom of Torah can G‑d’s infinite light be enclothed and revealed.
וְהַטַּעַם הוּא לְפִי שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה קָדְמָה לָעוֹלָם
The reason G‑d’s infinite light can be enclothed in the Torah is because the Torah preceded the world.2
This enables the Torah to serve as the medium through which G‑d’s infinite light is drawn down into existence.
With that statement, our Sages were not speaking in a chronological sense, because there was no conception of time before the world came into being. Instead, the intent is that the Torah emanates from a level far loftier than our world — and even its source, the higher spiritual worlds which came into existence to make our world possible.
It is only after G‑d desired to create that our world and all those levels of existence came into being. By saying after, the intent is also not chronological. The entire framework of spiritual existence — the Seder HaHishtalshelus, in traditional chassidic terminology — including our material world exists as a result of His desire to create.
The Torah, by contrast, exists above Creation — and any realms or desire associated with Creation — but rather is bound up with G‑d’s very Essence, as He is unto Himself. Because it is bound up with His very Essence, it is a fit medium to draw His essential light down to this world,
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים
as indicated by the metaphor,3 “And I (Torah)4 was unto Him... delights,”
In chassidic thought, pleasure (taanug) is considered man’s loftiest and deepest-seated potential. Man’s other potentials — thought, feeling, and even will — involve his interaction with entities outside of himself. In its purest sense, pleasure involves a person feeling in touch with his inner being, taanug hapashut, “simple pleasure,” i.e., pleasure that is not associated with any other entity.
However, even when pleasure is evoked by an outside entity, taanug hamurkav in the chassidic lexicon, that is because that entity strikes a chord within the person’s soul that brings him in touch with his inner being.
שֶׁזֶּהוּ מִבְּחִינַת שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים הָעַצְמִים
indicating that it is sourced in G‑d’s essential delights
שֶׁנִּקְרָא שַׁעֲשׁוּעֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעַצְמוּתוֹ
“the delights of the King in His Essence”5
שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַתַּעֲנוּג הַפָּשׁוּט הָעַצְמִי
— G‑d’s taanug hapashut, “simple and essential pleasure,”
שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִבְּחִינַת הַחָכְמָה לְגַמְרֵי כוּ'.
totally superior to the level of Chochmah.
Chochmah, “wisdom,” involves a person seeking to grasp an intellectual concept, something outside himself. Pleasure brings a person in contact with his inner core. Similarly, in the analog above, Chochmah is a part of Seder HaHishtalshelus, the framework of existence that makes our world possible, i.e., something that appears separate from G‑d.
G‑d’s simple pleasure transcends that entire framework. Since the Torah is identified with His simple pleasure, it can convey it into Seder HaHishtalshelus, and ultimately, into our world.
וְהַשַּׁעֲשׁוּעִים כָּלוּל מֵאוֹר חוֹזֵר וְאוֹר יָשָׁר
These “delights” include or chozer literally, “rebounding light”, and or yashar literally, “direct light”.6
שֶׁזֶּהוּ פֵּירוּשׁ שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים ב' פְּעָמִים שׁ"ע כוּ'.
This is indicated by the above word for “delight,” שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים, which contains the root שע twice.7
דְּשָׁעָה הוּא לְשׁוֹן תְּנוּעָה וְהַטָּיָה כְּמוֹ וַיִּשַׁע הוי' כוּ'.
The root שע refers to movement and turning, as in the verse,8 “And G‑d turned (וַיִּשַׁע) to Hevel and to his offering.”
וּב' פְּעָמִים שׁ"ע הַיְנוּ ב' הַתְּנוּעוֹת הַפְכִּים
The repetition of the root שע thus represents the two antithetical types of movement.
Since שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים means “delights,” the implication is two types of delight,
תַּעֲנוּג דְּאוֹר חוֹזֵר וְתַעֲנוּג דְּאוֹר יָשָׁר
— the “pleasure of or chozer” and the “pleasure of or yashar” —
שֶׁכּוֹלֵל שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחַד כוּ'
which are both included together — for שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים is one word —
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר.
as discussed in other sources.9
In those sources, it is explained that pleasure involves two movements. On one hand, the person is drawn to the subject that gives him pleasure, so much so that he feels that he is being taken beyond himself, a rush and a feeling of exhilaration. (Chassidus refers to this yearning with the term ratzo and identifies it with the term or chozer and with the attribute of Gevurah.)
Simultaneously, however, the person returns to himself, as it were, feeling new energy and vitality within his soul and a sense of inner peace. Chassidus refers to this inward movement with the term shov and identifies it with the term or yashar and with the attribute of Chessed.)
The above explains how pleasure integrates both movements. However, the analogy refers to pleasure that a person derives from something outside himself, e.g., from his children, from music, and even ordinary physical pleasure. Here, however, we are speaking about essential pleasure that does not derive from anything external.
וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת הִתְכַּלְלוּת חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה שֶׁבְּתַעֲנוּג הַפָּשׁוּט שֶׁבְּאֵין סוֹף עַצְמוֹ
The interrelation of or chozer and or yashar reflects the inclusion of Chessed10 and Gevurah11 within the pure delight of the Ein Sof Itself.
שֶׁזֶּהוּ מַה שֶּׁאוֹר אֵין סוֹף לְמַעְלָה עַד אֵין קֵץ וּלְמַטָּה עַד אֵין תַּכְלִית כוּ'
The presence of Chessed and Gevurah is alluded to in the Tikkunei Zohar:12 “G‑d’s infinite light extends upward without end and descends downward without limit.”
In other words, this essential light is not single-dimensional but includes two seemingly opposite movements.
וְיָרַד מִבְּחִינַת הַשַּׁעֲשׁוּעִים הָעַצְמִים דְּאֵין סוֹף
This Divine light descends from the essential delights of the Ein Sof
לִהְיוֹת מִשְׁתַּעֲשֵׁעַ בְּחָכְמָה דְּתוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה
to delight in the Chochmah of the Holy Torah.
(שֶׁזֶּהוּ טַעֲמֵי תוֹרָה כוּ')
(This refers to the innermost reasons of Torah. These reasons convey influence from G‑d’s essential light to a level that man can grasp.)
גַּם כֵּן בִּבְחִינַת הִתְכַּלְלוּת דְּחֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה
Within this dimension, there also exists an interrelation of the attributes of Chessed and Gevurah that exist in the Torah,
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ
as indicated by the verse that describes the Giving of the Torah,13 “from His right hand, a fiery law for them.”
This verse reflects how the Torah
שֶׁכּוֹלֵל גַּם כֵּן ב' הַבְּחִינוֹת דְּחֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה כוּ'.
also includes the two attributes of Chessed and Gevurah.
“His right hand” alludes to the attribute of Chessed and fire is an analogy for the attribute of Gevurah. Because the Torah includes both these opposing tendencies, within the Torah’s wisdom, it is possible for the same subject to be interpreted in a manner of Chessed — for example, the School of Hillel will render a lenient ruling — and also, in a manner of Gevurah — the School of Shammai will rule stringently.
וְהַיְנוּ לְפִי שֶׁשָּׁרְשָׁהּ מִבְּחִינַת שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים הָעַצְמִים דְּאֵין סוֹף
The Torah has the potential to unify opposites, because it is rooted within the essential delights of the Ein Sof
שֶׁכָּלוּל מֵחֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה
which includes Chessed and Gevurah,
דְּאוֹר אֵין סוֹף לְמַעְלָה כוּ' וּלְמַטָּה כוּ'.
for G‑d’s infinite light extends upward — the direction of the influence of Gevurah11 and descends downward — the direction of Chessed.10
וְלָזֹאת גַּם כְּמוֹ שֶׁיָּרְדָה וְנִמְשְׁכָה בְּסֵדֶר הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת
Therefore, even as the Torah has descended and been drawn down within the order of hishtalshelus,
כּוֹלֶלֶת גַּם כֵּן ב' הַבְּחִינוֹת דְּחֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה.
it also includes the two qualities of Chessed and Gevurah.
וְלָכֵן נִקְרֵאת הַתּוֹרָה אֱמֶת
Torah is therefore called “truth,”
שֶׁהוּא מִדַּת הַמִּיצּוּעַ הַכּוֹלֵל לַעֲלִיָּה וִירִידָה דְּחֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְעֵיל.
for truth is the mediating attribute which includes the ascending and descending thrusts of Chessed and Gevurah mentioned above.
The intent of describing truth as a mediating attribute can be understood through the explanation of why a judgment in Torah Law requires three judges. When two judges differ and the third judge delivers the decisive ruling, it is not that he simply favors one of the two opinions. Instead, the intent is that he discovers a deeper understanding that is able to appreciate the positive dimensions of both differing opinions and fuse them into a third viewpoint that includes both of the others.
That deeper understanding reflects a transcendent light, a potential that is unlimited in nature and can therefore reconcile the two.
Similarly, truth does not negate either Chessed or Gevurah, but rather draws down G‑d’s infinite light. As a result, it can highlight the positive dimensions of each approach and find a path to synthesize the two.
וְלָכֵן
Therefore, — i.e., because the Torah reflects the undefined nature of truth that can fuse together opposites —
אֵין הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת אוֹר אֵין סוֹף אֶלָּא בְּחָכְמָה דְתוֹרָה דַוְקָא כוּ'.
it is solely the wisdom of Torah in which G‑d’s infinite light can be enclothed.
קִצּוּר.
Summary:
תּוֹרָה שָׁרְשָׁהּ מִשַּׁעֲשׁוּעִים הָעַצְמִיִּים
Although the Torah has been identified with Chochmah, its source is G‑d’s essential delights.
שֶׁכְּלוּלִים מֵהֲפָכִים דְּאוֹר חוֹזֵר וְאוֹר יָשָׁר,
Because of its essential source, it is able to include two antithetical movements — or chozer and or yashar.
וְלָכֵן כּוֹלֶלֶת חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה,
Similarly, the Torah, therefore, includes Chessed and Gevurah.
וּבָהּ הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת אוֹר אֵין סוֹף.
This is possible because within it is enclothed G‑d’s infinitelight.
