11th day of Kislev

In the beginning, as the Midrash teaches,1 G‑d “created worlds and destroyed them.” The Kabbalah explains that this refers to spiritual worlds, supernal sefirot (“emanations”), that first existed in one state of being and then in another. The sefirot in the former state of being—called the World of Tohu (lit., “Chaos”)—underwent a “breaking of the vessels.” The World of Tikkun (lit., “Order”) was then built.

The sefirot comprise orot (“lights”) and kelim (“vessels”) that contain these lights. The crisis in the World of Tohu occurred because the orot were so intense that the kelim were incapable of containing them. As a result of this breakage, sparks of holiness descended within the kelipot. These sparks are to be found in the Worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah in general but particularly within the physicality of our world. It is the task of the Jew to sift this materiality by using it properly in order to extract and refine these sparks, thereby elevating them to their original source in the World of Tohu. This elevation in turn elicits a mighty downflow of Divine energy from Tohu and from even higher than that level.

(Certain Divine Names, whose respective Kabbalistic meanings are signified by Hebrew letter-combinations, are related to this process of beirurim, the extraction and refinement of the sparks of holiness. Thus, the Name known as Ban (ב"ן) is the source of the fallen holy sparks; the Name Mah (מ"ה) is the power that extracts and elevates them; while the Name Sag (ס"ג) is the original source of the World of Tohu. When the extraction and elevation of the sparks deriving from the Name Ban is accomplished through the Name Mah, a lofty degree of Divine illumination is drawn down from the Name Sag and is vested within the “capacious vessels” of the World of Tikkun.)

This extraction is for the most part accomplished through the performance of action-oriented mitzvot involving physical objects which derive their life-force from kelipat nogah and which house the sparks of Tohu. Performing a mitzvah with such objects disencumbers the hidden sparks of their corporeal husk and elevates them.

The seeking out of sparks, however, can also be accomplished through the study of Torah as well as through prayer.

In the present essay, the Alter Rebbe will explain the statement of Pri Etz Chaim that nowadays, this “extraction” is mainly effected through prayer. For prayer is uniquely able to draw down an infinite degree of G‑dliness; prayer alone can bring about changes within the world, healing the sick and causing rain to fall. In order for such a degree of G‑dliness to be called down, there must first be an arousal initiated from below, an expression of man’s ardent desire to be the recipient of Divine benefactions. And if these benefactions are to flow from an infinitely high source, the plea that requests them must surge from a correspondingly deep source—“with all one’s might,” from the infinite depths of one’s soul.

As explained above, the task of sifting the materiality of this world and salvaging its hidden, holy sparks is the ongoing mission of Jews living as souls within bodies in this physical world.

This is accomplished either (a) through the performance of the action-oriented mitzvot which entail the use of physical objects whose life-force derives from kelipat nogah; (b) through the audibly articulated study of Torah subjects that deal with physical matters; or (c) through prayer, a form of spiritual service through which the Divine soul influences and refines the animal soul (whose life-force derives from kelipat nogah) to the point that it can attain a love of G‑d.

As stated above, Pri Etz Chaim teaches that in these latter generations, the extraction and elevation of sparks is effected primarily through prayer.

Torah study is “equivalent to them all,”3 to all the mitzvot, and higher even than “concentration in prayer.”3 Why, then, is the extraction of the sparks of Tohu mainly accomplished in the present era through prayer?

Divine light is drawn forth into the various worlds either in accordance with (a) Sod Shoresh (lit., “the principle of the root”), the degree of revelation originally apportioned, or in accordance with (b) Sod Tosefet (lit., “the principle of addition”), depending on the spiritual service of mortals. This additional measure of revelation is much greater than the base allocation.

Through Torah and mitzvot, as stated above, one draws down an additional measure of Divine illumination into the World of Atzilut.

Since Torah study involves mortal intellect, its heavenly echo calls forth a corresponding revelation of the Divine Intellect, which is the inward aspect of the sefirot.

Za is a configuration (partzuf, lit., “countenance”) which comprises a full complement of ten sefirot. Into netzach-hod-yesod, the lower sefirot which are “outside of the torso”4 of za and thus comprise its external aspect, the [infinite] Ein Sof-light is drawn down by means of those mitzvot that are performed with man’s power of action. For this power is external to man’s essence, just as netzach-hod-yesod are external to za.

The infinite lights from Divine Intellect that are drawn down by Torah and mitzvot are thus invested primarily in Atzilut.

The Divine Intellect that is drawn down into Atzilut is ultimately vested within the Torah of this world while the Divine light which is drawn into the externality of the vessels of za of Atzilut is vested within the mitzvot of this world. The effect is thus strictly within the material aspect of the Torah and mitzvot of this world but not within the materiality of the world itself.

These are changes effected within the actual physical world.

Examples would be the writing of a Torah scroll or making a sukkah (according to the opinions that the actual construction of a sukkah is a mitzvah6). Unlike tefillin, where the mitzvah is performed by wearing them and not by making them, these mitzvot are performed by modifying the relevant object. Nevertheless:

When an individual succeeds in bringing about a change in this world through prayer, e.g., the sick person becomes well, this change is ultimately brought about from above, not by the individual’s prayer,

It is only G‑d who can effect a change such as this in our world, bringing about the cure or the productive rain.

As the Alter Rebbe will soon explain, since this entails an infinite degree of service on the part of man, it is able to draw down an infinite response from above, reciprocating each individual’s particular “arousal from below.”

Since Torah study thus does not need to be drawn down below, there is no need for an “arousal from below.”

As the Rebbe notes, “The Alter Rebbe now goes on to explain how this may be considered mayin nukvin and what its connection is to the infinite light.”

Though man is inherently limited, and though, moreover, all of one man’s might may be considered less than ultimate in another man, nevertheless, even this limited degree of “limitlessness” suffices:

For the “arousal from below” need but resemble the response from above that it seeks to elicit. If an “arousal from below” may truly be considered “infinite” relative to the particular individual’s capacities, it suffices to draw down the infinite light from above.

The love and longing (ratzo) which a man experiences during prayer to the extent of meodecha (“with all your might”) are aroused by the gevurot of Sag, the Divine Name that is the source of the 288 sparks of Tohu. These sparks derive from the vessels of Tohu, whose sefirot were originally in a state of infinite longing to become wholly one with G‑d. This longing parallels the soul’s love and longing for G‑d to the point of me’odecha.

As Rashi explains on the straightforward level of peshat, the Talmud calls prayer “life of the moment” (lit., “life of the hour”) because people pray for health, peace, and a livelihood—temporal things that are subject to the limitations of the passing moment.

Here, the Alter Rebbe speaks of how these matters exist in their source, in the supernal sefirot. In the worlds above, the sefirah of malchut is the source of time. For it is the sefirah of malchut (“sovereignty”) that reflects the relationship of the Infinite One to time—“He reigns, He reigned, He will reign,” in the present, past, and future.

This relationship is particularly evident as malchut descends to animate the Worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, for these worlds all exist in the category of time.

And because prayer draws down Divine energy into Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah through their source, the time-related sefirah of malchut, prayer is called “life of the moment.”

For za comprises sefirot within the World of Atzilut, and as stated in Torah Or, at the end of Parashat Terumah, za marks the conclusion of the infinite worlds, utterly transcending the Worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah.

The Gevurot (the attributes of severity) reflect a Divine thrust to self-contraction and limitation. The prohibitory commands thus derive from them since the intent of these commands is to withhold the efflux of holiness from kelipot.

This level includes no element of severity at all. As the Zohar states there, “There is no ‘left’ in Atik”—i.e., there is no element of gevurah in the internal level of keter; there is only chesed.

We thus seem to have a compound contradiction: We have just stated here that the 248 positive commandments stem from the vessels of the ten sefirot of za; the Zohar states that the 248 positive commandments stem from the Five Chasadim (attributes of kindness) of za while the 365 prohibitory commandments stem from the Five Gevurot (attributes of severity) of za, and the Zohar states elsewhere that the commandments derive from the Lavnunit of the supernal keter, where attributes of severity do not exist at all.

Since the purpose of mitzvot is to “repair” the 248 organs of za, it is true to say that mitzvot are rooted in the vessels of the sefirot that constitute za. Since the repair is accomplished through drawing the infinite light into the Divine Intellect that is housed in the Five Attributes of Kindness and the Five Attributes of Severity, it is also sometimes said that the mitzvot themselves are rooted in the Five Attributes of Kindness and the Five Attributes of Severity.

Thus, the Zohar also says elsewhere that the commandments are rooted in the level of supernal keter called Lavnunit, where there are no attributes of severity whatsoever, for this is the source of mitzvot as they exist in the supreme delight and desire of keter.

Since “chesed is of the right side” of za, a kindly act of charity in this world below draws down the infinite light into the corresponding “right side” above—into the Attribute of Kindness of za. Just as this “arousal from below” sprang from kindness, so, too, the reciprocal “arousal from above” comes as a direct and similar response, drawing down the infinite light into the chesed of za.

The “minor [Divine] intellect” corresponds to man’s innate love and fear of G‑d while the “major [Divine] intellect” corresponds to the love and fear of G‑d that are born of meditation.

Since this is the purpose of all of creation, and the mitzvot can be fully performed only in the Holy Land, Moses fervently desired to enter it so that he would be able to perform them in the most complete manner possible.

From all the above, we understand why the extraction and refinement of sparks is primarily accomplished through prayer, even though the study of Torah is loftier than prayer. For prayer involves the elevation of the sparks of Tohu to their most supreme source there and from there even higher to the Ein Sof.

As the Alter Rebbe will soon explain, this is so specifically in contemporary times because the loftier souls of earlier generations could accomplish this speedily merely by reciting the Shema with its introductory blessings and selections from the Verses of Praise. In our days, however, when such lofty souls are not to be found, the task of beirur must come about through prayer.

The mitzvot requiring action are superior—in their performance and in the study of their laws—not only because they fulfill the ultimate purpose of creation through the extraction of the sparks but also because they bond the soul with G‑d.

When one acts in a kindly manner, for example, he cleaves to the supernal sefirah of chesed—and the sefirot are wholly one with G‑d.

This was stated by Abraham with regard to the glimmer of his soul that illuminated his body in comparing it to its source—a radiance of supernal kindness, as explained above at length in Epistle 15, in the name of the Maggid of Mezritch.

Abraham experienced such an intense degree of love (deriving from the attribute of chesed) toward G‑d that he was a “chariot,” a vehicle humbly waiting to be steered by the hands of its Driver.19 Nevertheless, he declared that his measure of love for G‑d was but “dust and ashes” relative to the supernal attribute of chesed.

To appreciate the analogy: A tree, originally composed of the four elements of fire, air, water, and earth, is burned. Losing its first three elements in smoke, it is reduced to its fourth element, mere ashes. Yet, though these ashes and the tree itself are of the same element, the ashes can hardly be compared to the original tree that was “beautiful to behold and good to eat.”20

So, too, the attribute of kindness and love that Abraham possessed while his soul was in his body cannot be compared to the attribute of kindness which is one of the supernal sefirot.

It is thus to be seen that one does not cleave to the essence of the supernal attributes but only to their external state, their state of mere existence.

The above phrase is uttered by the Seraphim, angels of the World of Beriah. They perceive that even as G‑d descends to relate to created beings so that He is called the “L-rd of Hosts,” He is kadosh (“holy”), a term which implies that He is separate from them.

The spiritual beings of the World of Atzilut are each an “effect” (alul) brought about by a “cause” (ilah) in the levels higher than themselves. These beings vest themselves in each other in turn and at each level are able to comprehend the antecedent “cause” that is vested within them,

Etz Chaim explains how the “visages” of the supernal sefirot of Atzilut vest themselves in each other. Each “effect” is able to comprehend its “cause”—the “visage” that is garbed within it.

Though the souls of Atzilut are Divinity, still, since they have become sundered from the vessels of the ten sefirot (as explained above in Epistle 2022), they are termed “created beings” and are unable to apprehend the essence of G‑dliness.

Thus, through the vision of his soul alone, as the soul gazes upon G‑d without the benefit of mitzvot, even Moses could apprehend no more than externality, not essence.

The performance of mitzvot, however, as the Alter Rebbe will now explain, connects a Jew with the essence of Divinity. When he holds an etrog together with the other three kinds of vegetation and fulfills the mitzvah of the “Four Species” on Sukkot, he is holding on to the essence of Divinity. And so, too, with regard to all the practical mitzvot.

Specifically, each of the Four Worlds possesses all four soul-levels of nefesh, ruach, neshamah, and chayah. In a general sense, however, each of these Four Worlds corresponds to one of these levels. Asiyah corresponds to nefesh; Yetzirah—to ruach; Beriah—to neshamah; and Atzilut corresponds to chayah.

Unlike the soul-level in man called neshamah, which reflects his power of comprehension, or ruach, which reflects his spiritual emotions, and so on, each of these soul-levels having their specific “location” within the body, chayah is a transcendent soul-level that encompasses the individual from above.

So, too, with regard to the worlds, chayah (paralleled by the World of Atzilut) is the spiritual level that encompasses from above and does not vest itself at all within a vessel. Thus, a person living within a body cannot possibly apprehend the essence of an entity at the level of Atzilut.

Thus, Moses’ apprehension of the essence of Divinity resulted from a state of prophecy that entails divestment from the physical. Through other, nonprophetic means, it is impossible for the soul to apprehend the essence of any of the levels of Atzilut.

Man is thus incapable of truly cleaving to G‑d’s attributes, i.e., the attributes of Atzilut.

In light of the above, it is clear that the love and fear of G‑d that a Jew generates through meditation during prayer grasps and cleaves to no more than the external aspect of the existence of Divinity and not His essence.

The essence of the vessels of malchut of Atzilut vests itself in the essence of malchut of Asiyah, which is the source of all created beings of that world. Included among them are the fruits of that world, such as the etrog.

While the G‑dliness found in other physical matters is concealed, in an object used for a mitzvah it is manifest, as explained in the Tanya, ch. 23.

However, is this not also the case when one holds any other fruit, where no mitzvah is involved?

The answer is, as previously explained, that in other physical objects, the G‑dly life-force is concealed, whereas it is revealed in objects used for a mitzvah, for these are the “works of G‑d.”

This is entirely unlike holding a physical etrog and performing the mitzvah with it, at which time one grasps the essence of the physical etrog together with its source in Divinity.

For here he is articulating or understanding or thinking about the laws of the physical etrog, whose essence he can grasp, and not its spiritual intent in the heavenly realms.

For here, too, we are speaking of the esoteric dimension of the physical etrog, whose essence he can comprehend, and not of the spiritual intentions of the mitzvah or, yet higher, the relevant configurations of sefirot in the World of Atzilut.

Moreover, his understanding of the essence of the etrog, the object with which the mitzvah is observed, grants him some comprehension of the essence of the mystical reaches of the subject at large.

Knowledge of the various spiritual levels may indeed be superior for an unrelated reason, namely, that it leads to a “complete heart” (lev shalem), a wholehearted awe of G‑d—and this, as the Alter Rebbe will later say, is the purpose of all the mitzvot. Intrinsically, however, gaining this knowledge is not superior to studying the laws governing the performance of the mitzvot, whose essence he can understand.

The Gemara comments on this, “He who occupies himself with these laws is considered as if he had actually offered a burnt offering and a meal offering.”37

Mastering the revealed laws of the commandments is thus in one sense superior to delving into the innermost dimension (the pnimiyut) of the Torah on esoteric subjects such as the order of Hishtalshelut. For the study of the laws relates to the essence of the subject at hand, such as the physical objects with which the commandments are performed.

G‑d’s wisdom, moreover, which is inherent in these laws, descends and permeates the physical objects around which the laws revolve. It is thus the essence of G‑d’s wisdom that the student comprehends, and thereby, he becomes involved in the “wondrous union” described in the Tanya, Part I, ch. 5, whereby his mortal intellect simultaneously “encompasses and is encompassed by” the Divine wisdom embodied in the Torah which he is studying. This intellectual union in turn unites his soul (which transcends his intellect) with the infinite light that is vested in the wisdom of the Torah.

The above is true only when he understands the essence of his subject. This is the case when he studies (for example) the laws regulating the observance of the commandments. If, by contrast, his subject is the hierarchies of angels in the Worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, or, yet higher, the configurations of sefirot within the World of Atzilut, then his grasp is no more than external: he may indeed be aware of his subject’s existence, but he will be unable to know its essence.

Now, all the above notwithstanding, the Alter Rebbe is about to point out the superior aspect of the study of Hishtalshelut.

As explained in Likkutei Torah, in the discourse beginning V’Lo Tashbit, this refers to serving G‑d with awe—and this is the ultimate intent of all the mitzvot, as the Torah states, “G‑d has commanded us to perform all these statutes so that we may fear the L-rd our G‑d.”41 And it is the study of the innermost dimensions of the Torah and a knowledge of the various spiritual levels which comprise the order of Hishtalshelut that enable one to fulfill the mitzvah of “knowing G‑d,” which leads in turn to the “whole heart” of “fearing Him.” Thus, the Alter Rebbe concludes:

As mentioned above, one can attain this state only through a knowledge of the order of Hishtalshelut, even though this knowledge is merely an awareness of its existence and not a grasp of its essence.

In other words, one should endeavor to picture its spirituality. Hence, as the Rebbe has often stressed, one should study the innermost and mystical dimension of the Torah in such a way that one “derives sustenance from it”42—viz., the “sustenance” derived from comprehension. And soundly-based comprehension can be secured only when this dimension of the Torah is studied with the intellectual elucidation afforded by the teachings of Chabad.

As previously explained, the extraction and elevation of the sparks exiled in the various worlds is the ultimate purpose of creation.

The Alter Rebbe will now state that beyond the above-discussed superior quality of mitzvot requiring action (as well as the study of their laws), they are also essentially superior to the source of the soul by virtue of their source.

Thus, the love and awe experienced by the soul, though spiritual in nature, pale in comparison to these mitzvot (even though they are performed with physical entities), not only because these mitzvot and the extraction of the sparks accomplished thereby are the ultimate purpose of creation, but in essence, too, they are superior to the source of the soul.

The Divine Names Sag and Mah are two of the four Names that echo the varying numerical values which result when the names of the four letters that comprise the Name Havayah are spelled out in any of four different ways. For example, one possible spelling entails the repeated use of the letter vav while another possible spelling entails the repeated use of the letter alef.

When the Hebrew names of the four letters yud and hey and vav and hey are written out with the full complement (milui) of the letter vav, the numerical equivalent of the letters used totals 63 (hence the Divine Name ס"ג). When it is written with the full complement of the letter alef, the numerical equivalent of the letters used totals 45 (hence the Divine Name מ"ה).

The Kabbalah explains how the Name Sag is related to the World of Tohu while the Name Mah is related to the World of Tikkun, which is inferior to it.

The Alter Rebbe is thus stating here that the purifications of the action-related mitzvot find their source in the Divine Name Sag that derives from the internal aspect of Adam Kadmon, the primal Divine thought of creation that encompasses all subsequent stages and levels of creation.

By contrast, since the souls of Jews derive from the World of Tikkun (lit., “correction”), the nefesh or ruach or neshamah is of a level at which it was already corrected by means of the Divine Name Mah. And this Name is but a glimmer that derives from the “forehead” of Adam Kadmon.

The verse reads thus: “These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before a king ruled over the Children of Israel.” The Kabbalah understands these “kings” as a reference to the sefirot in the World of Tohu who reigned before (i.e., on a superior level to) “a king who ruled over the Jews,” i.e., the World of Tikkun, which is the source of their souls. For the World of Tikkun is merely a glimmer of Adam Kadmon while Tohu (from whence derive the exiled sparks and their purification) stems from the Divine Name Sag, which is rooted in the internal level of Adam Kadmon.

Since the soul derives from the World of Tikkun and incorporates the Divine Name Mah, it is thereby able to extract and purify the sparks found within the inorganic, vegetative, and living classes.

Having refined these sparks that are found within the inorganic, vegetative, and living classes and having drawn Divine energy upon them from their lofty source in Tohu, man in turn is then invigorated by them with an additional measure of spiritual vitality.

However, is it not paradoxical that man, who is so far superior to the inorganic, vegetative, and living classes, should derive his sustenance from them?

The teachings of Chasidut find the answer in the verse, “Not on bread alone does a man live but on all that comes forth from G‑d’s mouth does a man live.”44 It is not the physical, vegetative bread alone that sustains man, but the creative Divine utterance that is found within the bread.

However, since man is provided with his ongoing existence by his own creative Divine utterance, viz., “Let us make man,”45 why does he need to be sustained by the creative word that sustains vegetative growth (or, for that matter, the inorganic and living classes of existence)?

The answer lies in the fact that the creative utterance that animates bread derives from a loftier source (the World of Tohu) than the source of the creative utterance that animates man (the World of Tikkun). In terms of the Divine Names, Sag transcends Mah.

Thus, the love and awe by which a man connects with the supernal attributes (middot), which are the innermost essence of the sefirot, cannot draw down into the soul the innermost essence of these attributes but merely their external aspects.

The action-related mitzvot, by contrast, derive from the netzach-hod-yesod—the external and revelatory aspect—of the sefirot. This lower level can descend below in its essential and inward state in action-related mitzvot.

The Alter Rebbe will now explain that since love and fear are essentially spiritual in nature, they resemble the mere glimmer (and not the essence) of the master’s own intellectual illumination that he imparts to his disciple. In contrast, a physical seminal drop is capable of creating a child—it imparts the entire essence. So much so, in fact, that it is possible for the “power of the child to outshine the power of his father”48 so that gifts dormant within the father can become manifest in the child.

The Alter Rebbe will now use this analogy to explain the difference between love and awe, which are spiritual, and the action-related mitzvot, which are physical. Love and awe are “illuminations” (orot), like the illumination of intellect, while the practical mitzvot are “vessels” (kelim) that give forth the essence, similar to the physical drop that gives forth the entire essence of its source.

All the above refers to the drop that derives from the vessels of wisdom.

Though this is a rarefied level of conceptualization, transcending even the subtle articulation sketched by “letters of thought,” nevertheless:

Thus, the soul’s essence is not to be found even within intellectual conception—unlike the drop, which, though physical, comprises within it the essence of the soul, as the Alter Rebbe now goes on to say.

According to the above, however, it would seem that within the love and awe of souls as well, there should be an element of essence—whereas we learned above that the love and awe of souls are likened to the mere reflection (and not the essence) of his own illumination, which a master imparts to his disciple.

The Alter Rebbe anticipates this query by explaining that since the vessels of Atzilut become a neshamah to Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, there are therefore two forms of issue from the soul itself: one is a radiance, which is intellectual love and fear; the other is an issue of essence that finds expression in action-related mitzvot.

Though it derives from the vessels of Atzilut, it is still not of the degree of essence.

Not being manifest, it must therefore descend in a concealed manner, similar to the drop.

The Alter Rebbe will now point out the superior quality inherent in the very service of action-related mitzvot in comparison to intellectually generated love and awe. For the direction of the latter form of Divine service is merely elevation (haalaah), which causes a corresponding “elevation of the lights” above. The ultimate intent of creation is fulfilled not by this but by the practical commandments, for their function is the drawing down (hamshachah) of Divinity to a state of revelation in this world below.

The effect on the vessels is that they depart upward and do not fulfill their purpose, just as love and fear that do not descend into expression in mitzvot are also in a state of elevation and departure. When love and fear do descend into mitzvot, they enhance the effect of the mitzvot in drawing down Divine light.

As created beings thus experience an upward-directed longing for the Divine, Divinity descends into this world.

Only in the Holy Land can the practical mitzvot be fulfilled in their entirety—and the fulfillment of the practical mitzvot is the ultimate purpose of the entire Hishtalshelut, for through them, Divinity is drawn down to this nether world.

For by uttering and studying the laws of the mitzvot with physical speech, one also draws down the light below.

Since this physical fruit derives its life-force from kelipat nogah, it contains some element of the 288 sparks of Tohu which have not yet been elevated to Divinity.

The actual growth is not from the seed but from the power of growth (as explained above in Epistle 20). The seed merely serves as an “arousal from below,” stimulating the particular aspect of the power of growth that finds expression within it. After the seed decomposes, this particular power becomes incorporated within the universal power of growth that is found in the ground.

It then stimulates the power of growth within the earth to produce the same sort of fruit tree as the seed that was implanted. The essence of the power of growth is the Divine decree, “Let the earth sprout forth…,” which is the ultimate source of all vegetative growth.

The G‑d-given ability of the seed to rouse the power of growth acts:

The seed, whose source is within the power of growth, serves as an “arousal from below,” from the recipient below to the benefactor. Although the seed that is planted can in no way compare to the power of growth, it can nevertheless arouse this power, for this is its source.

As explained above, Adam Kadmon is the first visage and thought of the infinite light as it encompasses all of creation. Here is to be found the essence of the visage and not merely a radiance. Thus, the Divine Name Sag relates to the essence of the illuminations of Adam Kadmon.

All this is accomplished through the actual performance of the commandments of the tefillin and the etrog.

“Eyes,” signifying sight, denote an inner and essential level of Divinity, unlike the external aspect denoted by “forehead.”

In summary, practical mitzvot performed with physical objects arouse their source unto the loftiest of levels, unto the Divine Name Sag, the level that transcends the “breaking of the vessels.” This is also true with regard to studying the laws of these mitzvot; study likewise effects an elevation to this lofty level, for the study of a mitzvah is likened to its actual performance.

What, however, happens when one studies the laws of prohibitory commands? One cannot say that this study too is regarded “as if he performed them.” Particularly so, with regard to those instances that do not occur in practice at all. For with regard to those that can occur, we at least say that “if one remains passive and does not transgress, he is rewarded as if he had performed a positive command.”57 However, when the relevant opportunity does not occur at all, this obviously does not apply. Yet despite all this, it was stated above that one should study the laws to an even greater extent than one studies the order of Hishtalshelut, even though a study of the latter leads to a love and fear of G‑d!

The Alter Rebbe now addresses this issue, explaining that there is a certain aspect of Torah study that is common to both positive and negative commandments: Simply studying a subject, even if it has no practical application, binds the individual to supernal wisdom, inasmuch as this is the source from which all the detailed laws emanate.

Why should these laws too be studied extensively, and in fact even more than one studies the order of hishtalshelut, which can rouse one to a love and awe of G‑d?

Now, if the intellectually generated awe and love experienced by mortals can likewise not be compared to the study of the laws, why does the Alter Rebbe here choose to speak of angels?

To explain: (a) The love and fear experienced by souls is different from the souls themselves, for souls are not actual created beings; (b) the love and fear experienced by souls is, after all, a mitzvah, while that of the angels is not. Thus, the angels’ love and fear better stresses their created aspect, and this enables us to understand that even with regard to souls, the essential aspect of love and fear is a created entity. The laws, by contrast, are G‑dliness.

Supreme wisdom is actually vested in all things, as is soon to be explained. This is especially so with regard to the love and awe which are aroused by intellectual activity, for the source of all such activity is supreme wisdom. In intellectually aroused love and awe, however, the vestiture takes on a different form.

Supreme wisdom is thus vested within all physical things as well, even the earth—which, however, completely conceals it, just as intellectually aroused love and awe conceal the supreme wisdom vested in them.

Malchut of Atzilut with the externality of the externality of its vessels is wholly concealed in ruach-nefesh of Asiyah. Malchut of Atzilut itself, even the externality of the externality of its vessels, belongs to the realm of the neshamah and of Divinity proper—yet it is entirely hidden within nefesh-ruach, which belongs to the realm of created beings.

Since supreme wisdom is vested in malchut of Atzilut, and malchut of Atzilut illumines Asiyah with its ten sefirot, containing as they do the element of Wisdom as well, we thus have supreme wisdom entirely concealed within the physical earth.

We thus have here an element of supreme wisdom concealed within intellectually aroused love and fear, the source of which is the World of Beriah, the realm of comprehension.

Though the laws vested in the physical things of this world (the physical World of Asiyah) are thus subject to the concealment that pervades Asiyah, they are not garbed in it to the point that the garment essentially affects the wearer, for they merely pass through the garment of Asiyah.

Thus, just as with regard to the festivals, though the animating light first passes through Yetzirah and Asiyah, it is still considered to be an illumination of chesed of Beriah; so, too, with regard to the laws: The light within the laws merely “passes through” the physicality with which they deal; it always retains a radiance of supreme wisdom.

G‑d’s wisdom affirms that it be His will that a particular legal ruling be either lenient or strict.

It is the very same water that is now to be found in a low place.

The actual cow or donkey or flesh do in fact completely conceal the radiance from the supreme wisdom.

In contrast, it was stated above that when holding a physical etrog, one is grasping the G‑dly essence of Atzilut. The difference lies in the fact that the etrog is part of the mitzvah. As such, it has no identity other than G‑dliness and thus does not conceal it. Since, by contrast, the physical cow or donkey are not part of the law, they can conceal G‑dliness. With regard to the human intellect, however, which studies this law, since the “intellectual” cow and donkey are part of the law, they in fact do not act as a concealment.

For this is G‑dliness of Asiyah while the illumination of supreme wisdom within the laws is the G‑dliness of Atzilut.

The ChaBaD of Asiyah (in the state of neshamah) is thus a source for created beings.

This level of ChaBaD is not a source of created beings; rather:

Even when the rationales for the laws, that essentially derive from visages of Atzilut, descended to become rationales for laws for created beings—

How do we then say that malchut of Beriah and Yetzirah of the state of neshamah cannot descend to become a source for created beings when ChaBaD of Beriah and Yetzirah of the state of neshamah that is far loftier than malchut does serve as a source for created beings?

Thus, this is not a mere emanation from ChaBaD, as is the case with laws, for such an emanation cannot in fact serve as a source of created beings. Rather, it resembles the drop that brings about a birth. For this reason, it is possible that created beings should result even from ChaBaD of Beriah and Yetzirah.

The essence of ChaBaD thus descends specifically within the laws of the Torah, which are Divinity. Torah, in turn, descends within the level of neshamah, which is also Divinity.

It would thus seem that Torah precipitates a garment of ruach, which is a created being.

Even so, it is not like an independent created entity but rather like an emissary, who merely expresses the power of his principal.

We thus see that it is entirely possible for a created being to be called by the name of actual Divinity.

The entire purpose of man’s creation is to make the world become nullified in G‑d’s light. And this is accomplished through Torah study.

The true intention of creation is that G‑dliness be drawn down below, not a state of departure.

The intended state is neshamah, which is Divinity. However, when the kavanah is lacking, and one’s study is merely at the level of ruach, how are angels created ex nihilo when such creation derives only from Divinity?

As explained earlier, even a created angel is called by the Divine Name at the time that he is carrying out his mission because at that time, G‑d abides within him. So, too, since G‑d abides within the words of the Torah, angels can be created ex nihilo.