Bereishis: Giving a Name Defining a Purpose

The Midrash relates:3

When the Holy One, blessed be He, approached the creation of man, He consulted the ministering angels…. They asked Him, “This man: What is his nature?”

He replied, “His wisdom surpasses yours.” To demonstrate this, G‑d brought various types of animals before the angels… and asked them, “What are their names?” The angels did not know what to reply. G‑d then presented the animals to Adam and asked him, “What are their names?” Pointing to each one, he answered, “This is an ox; this is a donkey….”

How does Adam’s ability to name all of the animals demonstrate his wisdom? Shelah4explains that the name of every entity in the Holy Tongue alludes to its spiritual source. Adam grasped the spiritual source of every created being and named it accordingly. This was a reflection of his wisdom, to quote Shelah: “By knowing the created beings on this lowly plane, he was able to know the mystical secret of the supernal chariots.”5 The Maggid of Mezritch, in his Or Torah,6 elaborates, explaining similar concepts in his interpretation of the verse,7 “Whatever Adam would call every living being, that was its name.”

Two points require explanation:

a) The ability to comprehend the spiritual source of every entity in this physical world seemingly does not stem from an abundance of wisdom, for knowing “the mystical secret of the supernal chariots” does not depend on the abundance of one’s wisdom, but rather on the refinement of one’s powers of comprehension.8 The more refined a person’s abilities and the closer they are to the spiritual, the higher the levels in the spiritual realms the person can grasp.

b) How is it possible to assert that the angels did not know the names of the entities in this material world? According to the above explanation – that the knowledge of the animal’s names depended on the knowledge of “the mystical secret of the supernal chariots,” (i.e., the spiritual source of the created beings) – the angels should have possessed this knowledge, because the supernal chariots themselves comprise angels. These angels are the spiritual source of the animals in the physical world. (It is for this reason that the prophets describe the angels as animals.9) How then could it be that the angels did not know the names of the animals in this world?

One would be hard-pressed to pose the argument that since the angels are spiritual beings whose place is in the higher supernal worlds, they were not aware of what goes on in this earth and therefore did not know how to name the created beings in the material world.10 Were that to have been true, their inability to name the created beings would have been considered a virtue,highlighting their refinement and lofty spiritual level; it certainly would not have been considered a deficiency (leading G‑d to regard Adam’s wisdom as superior to theirs).

The above can be resolved by prefacing the following explanation: Adam named the animals before the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, while he was in the Garden of Eden. At that time, Adam and all existence were in a state of perfection. G‑d had placed Adam in the Garden of Eden for a purpose: “to cultivate it and guard it.”11 Accordingly, we can appreciate that everything Adam did at that time – particularly, every act that the Torah relates – was directed toward that purpose.

Furthermore, cultivating and tending a garden improves it. Similarly, Adam’s cultivating and guarding the Garden of Eden infused it with a loftier level of holiness than that which it possessed previously.12

Explanation is called for: What is the Divine service involved in naming the created beings? What did it accomplish, and in what way did it enhance the Garden of Eden? According to the previous explanation, Adam did not bring about anything new by naming the created beings since they had received their life-force from their root and source even before he named them. Adam only related the correct name of every created being, in accordance with its source.

Thus, it is necessary to say that:

a) grasping the root and source of the created beings’ vitality is not sufficient to name them appropriately; and

b) only Adam could give the created beings their appropriate names because his wisdom surpassed that of the angels.

To explain the above in further detail:13 Every created being in this physical world has a source in the spiritual realms, as our Sages state,14 “Every single blade of grass in this world… has a spiritual source15 that compels it to grow.” By way of illustration, the source of an ox in this earthly world is the angel with the face of an ox in the Divine chariot.16 Nevertheless, although the created being derives from that spiritual source, a physical animal cannot at all be compared to its spiritual source. The hierarchy of spiritual realms entails hishtalshelus, a process of gradual chainlike descent from one level to another. However, no matter how many chainlike descents take place, a physical entity will not come into being from a spiritual source, for, as is well known,17 bringing a material entity into being from its spiritual source can only be accomplished by G‑d, through His omnipotence. Only G‑d, Whose power is infinite, can make possible the radical transition necessary for physical entities to come into being from their source in the supernal spiritual realms.

For this reason – since18the physicality of a created being is incomparable to, and thus seemingly unconnected to, its source – simply knowing, for example, that the source of an ox on the material plane is the angel with the face of an ox in the Divine chariot is not sufficient to give an ox on the material plane its name.19It appears impossible to associate one with the other.

This represented Adam’s achievement, as indicated by the verse,20 “Adam called all the animals… by name.” The Hebrew term for “call,” korei, also connotes “call forth.” Adam called forth the name – the spiritual source – of the created being, and in doing so enabled it to be manifest within the physical being that was created from that source.

This reflects the connection between Adam’s naming the created beings and the mission that G‑d gave him when “He placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it.”

As the Creation existed in its inherent state – even in the Garden of Eden, which represents the perfect state of the world (particularly, as the Garden of Eden existed before the Sin of the Tree of Knowledge) – there was no revealed connection between a created being in this physical world and its source Above. True, the holiness of the Garden of Eden was so overwhelming that it could not tolerate sin. However, that holiness resulted from the revelation of a spiritual light that was measured according to the limits of this material world.

The uniqueness of the ability that Adam was granted was expressed in his mission to link21 the created beings as they exist in this world with their supernal source.22 Indeed, he was able to unite these two extremes to the extent that the names of all created beings as they are referred to by all people (even by children and ordinary people) would express the letters that represent their spiritual source.23

On this basis, we can understand why Adam possessed the capacity to name the animals whereas the angels did not. The angels recognized the spiritual source of each of the animals. They knew, for example, that the source of an ox is the angel with the face of an ox in the Divine chariot.24 Nevertheless, the angels did not have the ability to bring about a bond between a created being’s spiritual source and its existence on this physical plane.

To refer to a related concept: On the verse,25 “The nefilim existed on the earth,” it is explained that the word nefilim has the same three-letter root (נפל) as the word nofeil, “fall.” The nefilim were angels that had fallen from their spiritual rung.26 For when an angel comes into this material world, he “falls”: he cannot overcome the material orientation of this world. An angel does not have the capacity to live in the world and simultaneously be connected with G‑dliness, which transcends the world.27

That capacity is granted specifically to man.28 Adam, Hebrew for “man”, relates to the phrase29 Adameh leElyon, “I resemble the One Above;” i.e., man resembles G‑d, Who is absolutely without limits. Man is made up of spiritual and material elements, i.e., from both “the higher realms and the lower realms.”30He thus has the capacity to unite the higher realms with the lower realms, enabling a created being of this material plane to unite with the higher realms, his source Above.

This is the intent of the wording in which the Midrash couches G‑d’s reply to the angels, “His wisdom surpasses yours.” Adam is described as “wise.” Our Sages define that term, saying,31 “Who is a wise man? One who sees what will be,” which the Alter Rebbe interpreted32 to mean “One who sees how every entity comes into being… through G‑d’s speech.” A wise man sees how every entity in this physical world comes into existence from its supernal source in G‑d’s speech.

Herein lies the difference between man and the angels.The wisdom of the angels enables them to see G‑d’s power as it is enclothed in the created beings. However, it is beyond their capacity to see the source for the power in he manner exists in the higher realms as manfest within the created beings.33 Adam, in contrast, “whose wisdom surpassed theirs,” had the capacity to see how the created beings below are united with their source Above.34

{This explanation above also clarifies why G‑d did not merely tell the angels that Adam’s wisdom surpasses theirs. They had to actually have Adam’s naming of the created beings demonstrated to them, so that they would see that it was indeed possible to join the higher realms with the lower realms. The possibility of such a union was beyond the angels’ comprehension. Until they were shown that Adam had the capacity to accomplish this, they could not even fathom such a notion.

As explained on many occasions,35 the Midrash states36 that, before the Torah was given, there was a Divine decree separating the spiritual and the physical; “the higher realms will not descend to the lower realms,” and “the lower realms will not ascend to the higher realms.” At the Giving of the Torah, this decree was nullified and a connection between the higher realms and the lower realms – the spiritual and the physical – was established.

From this it is apparent that Adam’s naming of the animals was merely a preliminary step. True, he evoked and drew down the spiritual source of the created beings to this material plane, connecting the two to the extent that the created being’s name on this plane is representative of its source Above. (And as a consequence, a similar fusion was brought about in every created being.) Even so, this achievement is not comparable to the extent of the connection between the spiritual and the physical that was brought about by the nullification of G‑d’s decree at the Giving of the Torah.

To explain: Adam succeeded in connecting created beings with their spiritual source,37 the G‑dly light that shares a connection to the physical world.38 This level of light had already adapted itself to the extent that it serves as the source of a given type of created being. For example, Adam connected an ox on this physical plane with the angel with the face of an ox in the Divine chariot.

The Giving of the Torah, however, brought about a greater spiritual development, as alluded to in the words with which the Ten Commandments begin, Anochi Havayah Elokecha, “I am G‑d, your L‑rd.”39 Havayah is the four-letter name of G‑d associated with the G‑dly light that entirely transcends the structures of the world, being past, present, and future as one.40Elokecha is the possessive form of G‑d’s name Elokim, the name of G‑d that has the same numerical value as hateva, “nature.” El, the root of Elokim, is also associated with the concept of strength. At the Giving of the Torah, Havayah – the G‑dliness that transcends the world – became Elokecha, “your Elokim,” the strength and vitality of every Jew.41 This forged a connection between two vastly different elements: the sublime level of G‑dliness that transcends serving as a source for the world’s existence became connected with the physical world and its nature.

Therefore, at the Giving of the Torah,42 the angels had difficulty accepting this further strengthening of the fusion of the spiritual realms and the material world. Thus, the Talmud relates that at the Giving of the Torah the angels again protested:43

“The hidden treasure… You desire to give it to flesh and blood? ‘What is man that You should remember him?’…44 ‘Place Your glory upon the heavens.’ ”45

The angels could not comprehend how the Torah – the ultimate of spiritual perfection – could descend and be given to mere flesh and blood. G‑d instructed Moshe to respond to the angels, because it was Moshe our teacher who was capable of comprehending the concept of the Giving of the Torah – at which time the decree separating the spiritual realms from the physical was nullified – enabling the two to ultimately be unified as one.46

The individual Divine service of every Jew has parallels to these two dimensions of the fusion of the spiritual with the physical, i.e.:

a) the connection between a created being and its spiritual source achieved through Adam’s Divine service; and

b) the connection between a created being and the G‑dly light that transcends creation brought about by the Giving of the Torah.

It is explained in Chassidus47that the blessings recited before the Shema that describe the service of the angels prepare a person for the Divine service involved in the recitation of the Shema itself. The recitation of the Shema expresses a Jew’s wholehearted love for G‑d, as it is written,48 “You shall love G‑d… with all your heart….” The letter veis is repeated in the word לבבך, “your heart,” leading our Sages49 to interpret the word as meaning “with both your hearts,” i.e., that the animal soul should also be motivated to love G‑d. For this to be possible, it is first necessary to explain to the animal soul that in truth, it is not opposed to holiness, for its source in the spiritual realms, the angels,50 perform their service of G‑d “with a great clamor.” This realization causes the animal soul to become batel, nullified and submissive,to holiness.

Clarification is called for: How will explaining to the animal soul about the spiritual qualities possessed by its source motivate it to love G‑d, when the form in which the animal soul exists in this world stands in opposition to G‑dliness?

Here, however, is precisely where the effect of Adam’s contribution in fusing the created beings in this world with their source becomes significant. His achievement made it possible that a person’s reminding his animal soul of its source will cause it to cease its opposition and to become submissiveto holiness.

Without detracting from the great significance of this achievement, it nonetheless has its limitations. The bittul of the animal soul achieved by reminding it of its source is no more than the bittul of a created being, for its source is the angels. True, the angels are subsumed in G‑dliness, but they nevertheless remain created beings.51

The Divine intent of the soul’s descent to this physical plane is to bring about the union of the G‑dly soul, which is “an actual part of G‑d from Above,”52 with the animal soul, and in this way elevate the animal soul above its source. The capacity to create such a union was generated at the Giving of the Torah,53 through the nullification of the decree54 separating the higher, spiritual realms from the lower, physical realms. This enabled a parallel development to take place in man, who is a world in microcosm,55 nullifying the separation between his higher, spiritual dimensions and the lower, physical aspects of his being and allowing for the union between his G‑dly soul and his animal soul.

In one of his letters, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Rayatz, writes56 that the body’s hunger for physical nourishment stems from the soul’s hunger for the spark of G‑dliness invested in the food. This implies that even physical, material entities, which seemingly concern only the body and the animal soul, are in truth connected with the G‑dly soul. That bond is so strong that the body’s natural hunger is merely an expression of the soul’s hunger for G‑dliness.

Nevertheless, the very advantage brought about the service of the G‑dly soul in refining the animal soul possesses an inherent drawback. Although the ultimate bittul of the animal soul is achieved only through a union with the G‑dly soul, this nevertheless does not bring about the true refinement of the animal soul. For then the bittul does not stem from the animal soul itself but comes as a result of the G‑dly soul’s being revealed within the animal soul.

Similar concepts apply with regard to the world as a whole. G‑d’s ultimate desire and intent, that a dwelling for Himself be made in the lower realms, is not that the lower realms become a dwelling for Him due to other influences that affect them from the outside, but as a result of discovering the nature of their own essential truth.57 It is therefore understood that the bittul brought about in the world by virtue of the study of the Torah and observance of its mitzvos does not represent the ultimate expression of the establishment of a dwelling for G‑d. True, this bittul is brought about by the Divine service of the Jewish people, who are created beings existing within the lower realms, and the bittul was made possible by the nullification of the decree separating the lower realms from the higher realms. Nevertheless, since the bittul comes about because of the Torah, which is sourced in the higher realms, it does not represent how the created beings are part of the dwelling as an expression of their own inner nature. The ultimate intent is that both positive qualities be manifest: that the bittul be complete,58 and that it stem from the physical world itself.

This concept can be understood by prefacing another concept: As is well known,59 the source of inanimate objects, vegetation, and animals in this material world is the spiritual world of Tohu. Tohu represents a loftier spiritual rung than the immediate spiritual source of man, which is from the world of Tikkun.

The lofty nature of the source of inanimate objects, vegetation, and animals in the spiritual realms expresses itself in their existence on the physical plane. Accordingly, Chassidus60explains that this is the reason that animals by nature possess the traits of submissiveness and bittul to a greater degree than does man. Thus, we find that animals even obey children, as the verse states,61 “A youth will lead them.” The trait of bittul possessed by animals stems from the fact that their spiritual origins are in the realm of Tohu, which is characterized by a loftier level of bittul than that of the realm of Tikkun;to use the wording found in Chassidus, “Tohu is characterized by abundant lights.”

This is the ultimate bittul that will be brought about in the world, and it will stem from the world itself. Through “the light of the Torah,” the Jewish people illuminate the world and reveal the world’s inner truth: The reason the world is batel to mankind – as reflected in man’s ability to control and shape the world around him – is the world’s spiritual source is completely batel to G‑dliness.

As discussed earlier, the two concepts clarified regarding Adam’s naming of the created beings are that:

a) Although the source of every created being is what defines its vitality, Adam had to generate a new impetus that enabled the created beings to sense the true nature of their source within.

b) Adam generated this new impetus drawing down of new energy by naming the created beings. In this way, he revealed how the name and vitality of each created being are connected to their source.

Similar concepts apply with regard to the bittul that exists in inanimate objects, vegetation, and animals as result of their being sourced in the realm of Tohu:

a) In order that the created beings sense that the inherent trait of bittul they possess stems from the bittul of their source to G‑dliness, it is necessary that they be affected by a new and different impetus and service.

b) The connection between inanimate objects, vegetation, and animals and their source in the realm of Tohu is dependent on the concept of a name. The name of a created being is the channel that joins it with its source and funnels its Divine life-force.

The Rebbe Maharash explains this concept at length in the maamarim he delivered 100 years ago,62 which focus on the wondrous nature of the bittul that distinguishes the realm of Tohu. In that source, he explains that the powerful drive to connect to G‑dliness that characterizes the realm of Tohu and which brought about sheviras hakeilim (“the shattering of the vessels”) – as reflected in the description of the kings of Edom63 as having “reigned,” and due to their having reigned, they subsequently “died” – did not originate in yeshus, self-centeredness. Instead, this powerful drive has its source in the overwhelming bond these sefiros share with the Ein Sof, “the true Being.”64It was the power of that bond that caused them to desire to rise above their individual existence. As a result, they could not be contained within a kli, and therefore, the keilim were shattered.

The Rebbe Maharash associates this concept with the fact that the realm of Tohu is identified as beheimah, an “animal.” The Hebrew word beheimah, בהמה, is composed of the letters בהמ”ה, “Mah is manifest in it.” Mah is the milui (comprehensive numerical value) of G‑d’s name Havayah,65 the Divine name associated with the concept of bittul. The realm of Tikkun is associated with the form of man.66 Now, the Hebrew wordאדם (“man”) merely has the same numerical value as מ”ה: 45. The fact that two concepts have the identical numerical value indicates that they share a thematic connection.67 However, just as their numerical value is not immediately apparent, so too is their thematic connection somewhat obscured. For this reason, man’s connection with the bittul of Mah is not immediately apparent. In contrast, the word beheimah, בהמה,בה מ"ה, contains the letters מ"ה in an openly visible way because in the realm of Tohu, the essence of מ"ה – the ultimate bittul to G‑d’s Essence, the Yesh HaAmiti, the True Being – is revealed.

To focus on the inner truth implied: On one hand, every concept is to be understood in a simple, straightforward manner, and as such, the word beheimah refers to animals as they exist on this material plane. Accordingly, it is clear that the concept of בה מ"ה, “Mah is manifest in it,” expresses itself not only in the realm of Tohu but in animals on this physical plane, as well. (As a result, as mentioned before, the nature of submissiveness and bittul is evident among animals due to their source in the world of Tohu.)

Conversely, since the Hebrew word for world, olam (עולם), is characterized by concealment (he’elem, העלם),68 this truth – that the bittul that animals manifest is sourced in the bittul expressed in the realm of Tohu – is also obscured. Indeed, this concealment is expressed to such a great extent that created beings sourced in the realm of Tohu are able to exhibit powerful opposition to man – adam (אדם) – a term that refers to the Jewish people,69who were given that name because theyאדמהלעליון, “resemble the One above.”²⁷

For this reason, i.e., to offset the concealment that characterizes this physical world, the Rebbe Maharash explains in a maamar of Chassidus (which is the revelation of the inner dimension of the Torah in this material world) that the overwhelming bittul of the world of Tohu is associated with the name beheimah. Bydelivering that maamar, he drew down the inner truth of the name beheimah into the animals on the physical plane and revealed that their trait of bittul is in truth a manifestation of the bittul of their source to G‑d’s Essence, the True Being,70expressing how בה מ"ה, “Mah is manifest in it.”

Since the power of their source also derives from the awesome bittul which that source feels to G‑d’s Essence, the True Being, it is not possible that the animals or any other entities that derive from Tohu will oppose man, i.e., the Jewish people, who are called man, and prevent him from carrying out his mission.71 On the contrary, the world will stand in utter bittul and serve the Jews, enabling them to transform it into an everlasting dwelling for G‑d’s Essence.

Likkutei Sichos, Volume 15, p. 13ff. (Adapted from a sichah delivered on Simchas Torah, 5732 [1971])