After explaining at the beginning of the maamar that the essence of the Shechinah was originally manifest in this lowly world,וְהִנֵּה אַחֲרֵי שֶׁמְּבָאֵר בְּהַמַּאֲמָר דְּעִיקַּר שְׁכִינָה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים הָיְתָה,
and that afterwards, Moshe (the seventh) drew it down specifically into this world, the Rebbe Rayatz goes on to say:וְגַם אַחַר כָּךְ הִמְשִׁיכָהּ מֹשֶׁה (הַשְּׁבִיעִי) לָאָרֶץ דַּוְקָא אוֹמֵר:
“G‑dliness was primarily revealed within the Beis HaMikdash,”וְעִיקַּר גִּלּוּי אֱלֹקוּת הָיָה בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ
(and he supports this statement with a prooftext)(וּמֵבִיא עַל זֶה הַפָּסוּק)
“They shall make Me a Sanctuary and I shall dwell within them.”דִּכְתִיב: "וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם",
Concerning this verse our Sages comment:1 “The verse does not state ‘within it,’ but ‘within them,’בְּתוֹכוֹ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בְּתוֹכָם,
thus implying that G‑d dwells ‘within each and every Jew.’”בְּתוֹךְ כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל,
The maamar continues: “This concept can grant us an insight into the verse,2 ‘The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.’וְזֶהוּ (גַּם כֵּן מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב) "צַדִּיקִים יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וְיִשְׁכְּנוּ לָעַד עָלֶיהָ"
This verse can be interpreted to mean that the righteous shall inherit ‘the earth,’ which is an allusion to Gan Eden,דְּצַדִּיקִים יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ שֶׁהוּא גַּן עֵדֶן,
because they cause ‘He Who dwells forever, exalted and holy is His name,’3 to dwell (i.e., to be drawn down)4 –מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם מַשְׁכִּינִים (הַיְינוּ מַמְשִׁיכִים) בְּחִינַת שֹׁכֵן עַד מָרוֹם וְקָדוֹשׁ
(the Rebbe Rayatz does not explain the implication of the term ‘He Who dwells forever’ in the maamar;(הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה דְּשׁוֹכֵן עַד אֵינוֹ מְבָאֵר בְּהַמַּאֲמָר,
but the concept is explained in Likkutei Torah5 based on a teaching of the Zohar)6וּמְבֹאָר הוּא בְּלִקּוּטֵי תּוֹרָה עַל פִּי מַאֲמַר הַזֹּהַר)
– and be revealed in this physical world below.”שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּגִלּוּי לְמַטָּה,
The maamar of the Rebbe Rayatz continues: “This enables us to understand the interpretation of the verse, ‘I have come into My garden,’ as ‘I have come into My bridal chamber,’ into the place in which My Essence was originally revealed,”וְזֶהוּ בָּאתִי לְגַנִּי לִגְנוּנִי לְמָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה עִקָּרוֹ בַּתְּחִלָּה,
As mentioned, the fact that the verse states “My garden” and not “the garden” indicates that the Shechinah already shared a connection with that place.
“...for the essence of the Shechinah was manifest in the lower realms.דְּעִיקַּר שְׁכִינָה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים הָיְתָה.
To explain:וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא
(The Rebbe Rayatz explains why the essence of the Shechinah was manifest specifically in the lower realms.)(בֵּאוּר הָעִנְיָן לְהָבִין מִפְּנֵי מָה הָיְתָה עִיקַּר שְׁכִינָה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים דַּוְקָא)
The ultimate purpose for the creation and the progressive descent of the worlds isדְּהִנֵּה תַּכְלִית הַכַּוָּנָה בִּבְרִיאַת וְהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת,
that ‘G‑d desired to have a dwelling place in the lower worlds.’”7דְּנִתְאַוָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִהְיוֹת לוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ דִּירָה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים.
The dwelling for G‑d’s Essence is to be established through the Divine service of the Jewish people and will not be manifest in a complete fashion until the Era of Mashiach. Nevertheless, since this was G‑d’s original intent, His Presence was manifest in the world from the very outset.
The manifestation of His Presence can be understood as being comparable to a “mission statement,” i.e., immediately upon bringing the world into being, G‑d made the goal of its creation obvious.
The Alter Rebbe explains8 the above concept in the following manner:וְהִנֵּה רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן מְבָאֵר בָּזֶה
“The ultimate intent of the progressive chainlike descent of the worlds is not the loftier spiritual worlds,אֲשֶׁר תַּכְלִית הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת וִירִידָתָם אֵינוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל עוֹלָמוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים,
since for them, this process constitutes a descent from the light of G‑d’s countenance,”הוֹאִיל וְלָהֶם יְרִידָה מֵאוֹר פָּנָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ,
and it cannot be said that the ultimate purpose is for a descent. The Rebbe proceeds to clarify that statement, giving two explanations. The following concept lies at the basis of both of them:וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה הוּא בִּשְׁבִיל הַיְרִידָה.
As is well known, creation, i.e., the potential to bring existence into being from non-being (yesh me’ayin, “something from nothing” in chassidic terminology)דְּהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ דְּהַבְּרִיאָה
derives solely from the power of G‑d’s Essence,הוּא רַק בְּכֹחַ הָעַצְמוּת,
as is stated in Iggeres HaKodesh, in the epistle beginning Ihu VeChayohi:9וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב בְּאִגֶּרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, דִּבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל אִיהוּ וְחַיּוֹהִי
G‑d’s very Being and Essence, Whose Being derives from His own selfאֲשֶׁר מַהוּתוֹ וְעַצְמוּתוֹ שֶׁמְּצִיאוּתוֹ הוּא מֵעַצְמוּתוֹ
and Who has no cause preceding Him –וְאֵין לוֹ עִלָּה קוֹדֶמֶת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,
In his Sefer HaIkkarim, R. Yosef Albo describes G‑d’s existence as follows: “His existence must be (mechuyav hametzius), i.e., His existence is from Himself, and is not the result of any other cause which preceded it.”
With these words, he clarifies the difference between G‑d’s existence and all other entities. Every other being was brought into existence from utter nothingness. And it was brought into existence by a cause – the ultimate Cause being G‑d’s will.
G‑d’s existence, by contrast, has no cause. He just is. And He always was. The very definition of Him as G‑d implies that He was not brought into being at any time or by any other cause. Instead, He exists independently as the Truth of all being.
He alone has the power and ability to create something out of absolute naught and nothingness.הוּא לְבַדּוֹ בְּכֹחוֹ וִיכָלְתּוֹ לִבְרֹא יֵשׁ מֵאַיִן וְאֶפֶס הַמֻּחְלָט מַמָּשׁ.
As will be explained below, creating something new (yesh me’ayin) means bringing into being an entity that does not recognize its source and feels that it exists independently, as it were. In the entire Spiritual Cosmos, there is no entity other than G‑d’s Essence that is truly independent. Every other entity recognizes that it was brought into being from G‑dliness. Since it does not have the feeling of independent existence, it cannot bring into being an entity that possesses that feeling. Only G‑d’s Essence, which truly exists independently, can bring into being a world that is a new creation, i.e., which feels that it exists independently.
(As will be explained below, the feeling of independent existence experienced in this world is a misunderstanding. In truth, our world also derives from the spiritual realms above it. Nevertheless, the fact that misunderstanding is possible, and the source for our world’s existence is not perceived, results from the fact that the world derives from G‑d’s Essence.)
To explain from another perspective: Every spiritual entity was made with a specific definition: it is what it is and can be no more than that. And it can bring into being only entities that are included within the scope of that definition and are within the potential with which it itself was brought into being. Now, since these entities which are brought into being exist within the potential of the entity that is their source, they cannot truly be termed as new creations.
What can bring into being something that is utterly new? An entity that has no definition whatsoever; that exists independently. As such, that entity will not be bound by preexisting structures and can therefore bring into being a new entity that is out of the scope of all existing structures. The only entity that can be so described is G‑d’s Essence.
Thus, creation does not result from revealed levels of G‑dliness, but rather from G‑d’s Essence.הַיְינוּ שֶׁהַהִתְהַוּוּת אֵינָהּ מֵהַגִּלּוּיִם כִּי אִם מֵהָעַצְמוּת,
Hence – this represents the first explanation as to why it cannot be said that the Creation was for the sake of the higher worlds, because bringing them into being involves a descent –וְאִם כֵּן
it is impossible to state that the ultimate intent of Creation was for the sake of the higher worlds,אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר שֶׁתַּכְלִית הַהִתְהַוּוּת הִיא בִּשְׁבִיל עוֹלָמוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים,
for even the loftiest of them, the World of Atzilus, is merely a revelation of that which had previously been concealed.שֶׁהֲרֵי גַּם עוֹלַם הָאֲצִילוּת הוּא גִּלּוּי הַהֶעְלֵם
The potential for the world of Atzilus existed previously in more abstract realms. Nevertheless, in those higher realms, the light was too transcendent for the specific qualities within the light to take shape and form. Only after there were several degrees of tzimtzumim was it possible for these qualities to become distinct entities. Thus, the Sefiros of Atzilus existed beforehand but in a hidden state, and after their descent into Atzilus, they became revealed as distinct entities.
It therefore constitutes a descent from the light of the Divine Countenance,וְאִם כֵּן זֶהוּ יְרִידָה מֵאוֹר פָּנָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ,
for when the lights of Atzilus were in a state of concealment within their source, they were on a much loftier plane. Thus, we cannot say the purpose of existence is only to bring the world of Atzilus into being, since this involves a descent.כִּי כְּשֶׁהָיוּ אוֹרוֹת הָאֲצִילוּת בְּהֶעְלֵמָם הָיוּ בְּמַדְרֵגָה גָּבוֹהַּ הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר.
In addition – here, the Rebbe provides a second, more abstract explanation of the statement that the creation could not be for the sake of the revealed realms because this involves a descent –וְעוֹד
since these are merely revealed levels of light; mere rays of G‑dliness,שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁזֶּהוּ רַק גִּלּוּיִם
we cannot possibly say that Essence exists for the sake of such revelations. For G‑d’s Essence is fundamentally higher than the revelations that emanate from it.הֲרֵי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר שֶׁהָעַצְמוּת הוּא בִּשְׁבִיל גִּלּוּיִם,
To explain this concept from a deeper perspective: Seemingly, the very fact that G‑d continued the process of Creation and brought into being our lower world makes it obvious that the intent is not for the higher worlds. Nevertheless, one might argue that the intent is the higher realms. Why does our world exist? To prove, as it were, the greatness of the higher worlds. Just as the proof of a validity of an abstract concept is its application in actual fact, so too, it could be said that the creation of this world is necessary to demonstrate that the loftier energies vested in the higher realms are genuinely great.
This premise is untenable because, as explained above, this material world could only be brought into being by G‑d’s Essence. And if the above logic were true, G‑d’s Essence would be acting for the sake of the revealed worlds – to show their greatness. That would involve a descent and, as stated above, it cannot be said that the Creation was for the sake of a descent.
We must therefore say that the ultimate purpose of creation is this lower world, a world that is imbued with G‑d’s Essence. Why He created such a world is indeed a question. Nevertheless, the fact that He did create such a world indicates that the purpose of the creation is vested in it.אֶלָּא שֶׁהַתַּכְלִית הוּא עוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַתַּחְתּוֹן.
As the Mitteler Rebbe explains on this week’s Torah reading10 (Parshas Beshalach),וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב אַדְמוֹ"ר הָאֶמְצָעִי בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ (פ' בְּשַׁלַּח)
in comparing the higher worlds and this world,בְּעִנְיַן הַהֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין עוֹלָמוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה,
in this world, the created beings feel that their existence derives from their own selves.דְּבָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה נִרְגָּשׁ שֶׁמְּצִיאוּתוֹ מֵעַצְמוּתוֹ
The created beings in this world feel that they are independent entities. They do not sense that their existence is dependent on an outside factor. With the exception of G‑d’s Essence, that feeling does not exist on any other level of the Spiritual Cosmos. On the contrary, all the other entities in the Spiritual Cosmos are aware, to one degree or another, that their existence is dependent on G‑d and therefore, they subsume their identity in His.
On this physical plane, the created beings feel their own selfhood (yeshus). The maamar is emphasizing that such feelings are possible only because this world derives from G‑d’s Essence which is the Yesh HaAmiti (True Existence).
{The series of maamarim published in connection with Rosh HaShanah this year11 explains(וְכַמְּבֹאָר בְּהַהֶמְשֵׁךְ דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה דְּהַאי שַׁתָּא,
the difference between a created being and light:הַהֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין נִבְרָא וְאוֹר,
Light shows the existence of a luminary;דְּאוֹר הוּא רְאָיָה עַל הַמָּאוֹר,
when we observe light, its very existence indicates and reveals that there is a luminary from which it emanates.דִּכְשֶׁאָנוּ רוֹאִים אוֹר, הָאוֹר עַצְמוֹ מַרְאֶה וּמְגַלֶּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ מָאוֹר,
By contrast, regarding created beings,מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן יֵשׁ הַנִּבְרָא,
not only do they not reveal their Creator,הִנֵּה לֹא זוֹ בִּלְבַד שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְגַלֶּה בּוֹרֵא,
they actually hide and conceal Him.אֶלָּא עוֹד זֹאת שֶׁהוּא מַעֲלִים וּמַסְתִּיר עַל זֶה,
Indeed, they feel that their being derives from themselves.וְאַדְרַבָּה נִרְגָּשׁ שֶׁמְּצִיאוּתוֹ מֵעַצְמוּתוֹ
(It is only that reason dictates that this cannot possibly be so)}.12(אֶלָּא שֶׁמִּצַּד הַשֵּׂכֶל מֻכְרָח שֶׁאֵינוֹ כֵּן)).
Intellectually, it is clear that no entity comes into being on its own. Hence, the existence of the world necessitates that there must be a Creator.
True, the perception felt by a created being, that its existence derives from its own self, is but its own false impression.וְאַף שֶׁזֶּהוּ רַק בְּהַרְגָּשָׁתוֹ,
Nevertheless, the very fact that it is able to imagine that it derives from its own selfמִכָּל מָקוֹם הִנֵּה זֶה גּוּפָא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִדְמֶה עַל כָּל פָּנִים שֶׁמְּצִיאוּתוֹ מֵעַצְמוּתוֹ
results from its being rooted in G‑d’s Essence, Whose Being in truth derives from His Essence.זֶהוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשָּׁרְשׁוֹ מֵהָעַצְמוּת שֶׁמְּצִיאוּתוֹ מֵעַצְמוּתוֹ.
Created beings are spiritually unaware. They do not know the truth – that their existence derives from the spiritual realms above them and that it is G‑d Who creates them. Nevertheless, the very fact that created beings can feel that they exist independently indicates that they were brought into being by an entity, G‑d’s Essence, which in truth exists independently. For only an entity which itself possesses true independence can endow even such a feeling of independence to the creation brought into being.
From the above, it is understood that the intent of Creation and the progressive descent of the worldsנִמְצָא מוּבָן שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה בְּהַבְּרִיאָה וְהַהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת
is not the higher worlds, whose purpose is revelation,אֵינָהּ בִּשְׁבִיל עוֹלָמוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים שֶׁעִנְיָנָם גִּלּוּיִם,
but this lowly worldכִּי אִם הַכַּוָּנָה הוּא עוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַתַּחְתּוֹן,
which imagines that it is not a mere revelation (gilui) but a self-sufficient entity (atzmi),שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ גִּלּוּי כִּי אִם עַצְמִי,
whose being derives from its own self.הַיְינוּ מְצִיאוּתוֹ מֵעַצְמוּתוֹ,
Through man’s Divine service in this world,וְעַל יְדֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה בּוֹ,
subduing the physical and transforming it into holiness, i.e., overcoming the false perception of yeshus (independent existence) that pervades the world and revealing G‑d’s intent,עַל יְדֵי אִתְכַּפְיָא וְאִתְהַפְּכָא,
G‑d’s Essence is revealed.נִתְגַּלָּה הָעַצְמוּת,
And it is for this purpose that the worlds at large were created and underwent a process of progressive descent.בִּשְׁבִילוֹ הָיָה בְּרִיאַת וְהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת.

Summary

This section explains why the essence of the Shechinah was manifest specifically in the lower realms: Since the ultimate purpose for all being is that “G‑d desired to have a dwelling place in the lower worlds,” at the very beginning of the world’s existence, the Shechinah was manifest in this world.
The maamar quotes the rationale given by the Alter Rebbe to explain why we are forced to say that the ultimate purpose of creation is this world and not the loftier spiritual worlds: For the higher realms, the chainlike process of descent that characterizes the Spiritual Cosmos constitutes “a descent from the light of G‑d’s countenance,” i.e., they existed in a higher, more refined form before they came into being and their coming into the form in which they presently exist involves a descent. Since G‑d is fundamentally good, it cannot be that He brought existence into being for a descent.
Moreover, G‑d’s creation of our world stems from His very Essence, for the potential to bring existence into being from non-being (yesh me’ayin, “something from nothing” in chassidic terminology) derives solely from G‑d’s Essence. It cannot be said that His Essence acted for the sake of the revealed worlds.
Instead, the motivating force for creation was G‑d’s desire for a dwelling in the lower realms, i.e., this material world. In this realm, in contrast to every other realm in the Spiritual Cosmos, the created beings feel that their existence derives from their own selves. They imagine that they exist independently.
Man’s Divine service in this world involves subduing our material reality and transforming it into holiness, overcoming the false perception of yeshus (independent existence) that pervades the world and revealing G‑d’s intent – that the world was intended to serve as His dwelling.