מִדִּבְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן: יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ, דעֶר עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹיך אִין דעֶר עֶרדִישׁעֶר וועֶלט אִיז פאַרבּוּנדעֶן מִיט ה' אֶחָד, הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ מאַכט פוּן רוּחָנִיּוּת גַּשְׁמִיּוּת, אוּן דעֶר עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל מאַכט פוּן גַּשְׁמִיּוּת רוּחָנִיּוּת.

The following are the holy words of the Alter Rebbe, [commenting on the phrase,] “Israel, one nation in the world:”1

The nation of Israel, even as it exists in this earthy world, is connected with the one G‑d.2 G‑d creates materiality out of spirituality,3 and the people of Israel make spirituality out of materiality.4

Delving Deeply

The above teaching,5 and likewise the following two teachings of HaYom Yom, extols the Divine service of mortals in the material world. Significantly, these teachings were placed at this juncture, on the last three days before Rosh HaShanah, the Day of Judgment, when we are most likely concerned with being inscribed “in the book of life, blessing, peace, and prosperity.” These teachings validate such a concern, for it is through a Jew’s involvement on the material plane that he becomes a partner with G‑d in creation.6

To explain: G‑d created the world because He desired a dwelling in the lower realms.7 That is, He desired His Presence to be manifest in this physical world. To accomplish this, two steps are necessary: the material world must be created, and then its corporeality must be transformed into spirituality. The first step was accomplished by G‑d; the second, He entrusts to His partner, the Jewish people.

The partnership is an equal one, for the whole of G‑d’s creation comes into existence yesh me’ayin, as something from nothing. And the Divine service of Jews transforms yesh, the self-centered perspective8 that pervades our material world, into ayin, G‑dliness.9

Both tasks transcend the natural order, and they are possible only due to G‑d’s essential power. And this essential power He also implanted within His people to enable them to accomplish their mission.10