When saying, “Abundant waters cannot extinguish the love…,” the verse implies that this is a new concept that we would not have known otherwise. On the surface, a Jew’s love for G‑d is natural and inherent to his being. Why would one think that “the abundant waters,” the preoccupation with his business affairs, could extinguish that love? In resolution:
The understanding of the new concept communicated by the verse “abundant waters cannot extinguish the love…” depends on the awareness of the nature of the source of these “ abundant waters.”וְהִנֵּה הַחִדּוּשׁ בָּזֶה שֶׁמַּיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה
As is well known, the source of “the abundant waters,” [i.e., the anxiety and preoccupation in earning a livelihood,] is the level ofדְּיָדוּעַ דְּשֹׁרֶשׁ הַמַּיִם רַבִּים [שֶׁהוּא טִרְדוֹת הַפַּרְנָסָה] הוּא בִּבְחִינַת
Tohu –הַתֹּהוּ
lit., “chaos.” In Kabbalah, and particularly in the writings of the AriZal, it is explained that there are several frameworks of spiritual existence above our physical world. All of these frameworks depend on the interplay between oros, “lights,” expressions of G‑dly vitality, and keilim, “vessels,” forms in which that light is manifest.
Our Sages (Koheles Rabbah 3:11) relate that G‑d “would build worlds and destroy them.” It is explained that this refers to the world of Tohu. This was a very elevated framework of existence in which the lights were very powerful while the keilim were insubstantial. For this reason, not only were the vessels unable to contain the light, they were shattered by it.1 After they shattered, their sparks fell and were filtered through the lower levels of the Spiritual Cosmos. In this process, they became material in nature, for the higher an entity’s spiritual potential, the lower it falls in its descent. Nevertheless, even as these sparks of G‑dliness descended, they retained the power of their elevated spiritual source,
which precedesשֶׁקָּדַם
Here, “precedes” cannot be understood in a simple chronological sense, because time as we know it also came into being in the realm of Tikkun.2 Instead, the intent of “precedes” is “on a higher plane,” a loftier spiritual rung than
Tikkun.3לַתִּקּוּן.
Literally, the term Tikkun means “correction,” “restitution,” or “reformation.” It refers to the framework of existence in which the Sefiros emerged as interrelated entities, with keilim that are substantial, and lights that adapt themselves to them.
This is the reason they are called “abundant waters”: they are “abundant,” i.e., plentiful and ample.דְּזֶהוּ שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים מַיִם רַבִּים לִהְיוֹתָם "רַבִּים".
(Also), i.e., not only as they exist on this material plane, but also(גַּם)
from the standpoint of their root and source, i.e., they are rooted in the realm of Tohu, which is a realm of abundance.מִצַּד שָׁרְשָׁם וּמְקוֹרָם.
[It is described as possessing] “abundant lights.”4
This is the new concept communicated by the verse,וְזֶהוּ הָרְבוּתָא בָּזֶה
– Indeed, it is a new concept of great scope –5
that “abundant waters cannot extinguish the love, nor can rivers wash it away.” True, the source of the “abundant waters” and the “rivers” is the realm of Tohu6 which precedes the realm of Tikkun (which is the source of the G‑dly soul).שֶׁמַּיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה וּנְהָרוֹת לֹא יִשְׁטְפוּהָ, דַּהֲגַם שֶׁשֹּׁרֶש הַמַּיִם רַבִּים וְהַנְּהָרוֹת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת הַתֹּהוּ שֶׁקָּדַם לַתִּקּוּן (שֹׁרֶשׁ נֶפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית),
Even as the “waters” and the “rivers” that are rooted in the realm of Tohu exist on this physical plane, they are connected with their source. For this reason, animals that are rooted in the realm of Tohu are stronger than humans who are rooted in the realm of Tikkun.
Or to cite another example, man derives his vitality by eating foods from plant and animal life that stem from the realm of Tohu. Why can these forms of life nourish man? Because they are rooted in a higher source, the realm of Tohu. Hence, because of the power of the source of these “abundant waters” and “rivers,” one might think that they could extinguish the inherent love of the G‑dly soul.
Nevertheless, this is not true. Despite the power of “the abundant waters” and “rivers,” they cannot extinguish the love of the G‑dly soul.7מִכָּל מָקוֹם לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אֶת הָאַהֲבָה שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית.
The reason for this is (as stated in the preceding verse in Shir HaShirim,)8וְהַטַּעַם לָזֶה הוּא (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לִפְנֵי זֶה)
“Its coals are coals of fire; a powerful flame.”רְשָׁפֶיהָ רִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ שַׁלְהֶבֶת יָ-הּ,
There is a difference of opinion among the commentaries9 whether the word שלהבת י-ה should be read as one word or as two. Reading it as two words – as it is cited in the maamar – allows for the translation “the flame of G‑d.”10
The source for the soul and the hidden love for G‑d it possesses is rooted in the Essence of G‑d which transcends even the realm of Tohu.שֶׁשֹּׁרֶש הַנְּשָׁמָה וְהָאַהֲבָה מְסֻתֶּרֶת שֶׁבָּהּ הוּא בְּעַצְמוּת אוֹר אֵין סוֹף שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה גַּם מִבְּחִינַת תֹּהוּ.
It was stated previously that the source for man’s soul is the realm of Tikkun which begins in the realm of Atzilus, a level in which the power of the G‑dly light has already descended and contracted to such an extent that it can enclothe itself in the keilim. This, however, refers only to the immediate source of the soul. In truth, however, the soul is rooted in G‑d’s very Essence, the ultimate Source of all being. This level is far above the realm of Tohu.
The relationship between the G‑dly soul and the realm of Tohu can be explained by drawing an analogy to the relationship between Yaakov (who was the source of all G‑dly souls)11 and Esav (who derives and is representative of the realm of Tohu).12 On a simple level, Esav was the firstborn and Yaakov had to acquire that right through deception. In essence, however, Yaakov was the firstborn, as Rashi13 explains through the analogy of two pebbles placed in a tube: the one that comes out last entered first. So too, although Esav (Tohu) was the firstborn in actual fact, it is Yaakov (Tikkun) who has the higher source.
The source of the love for G‑d in the G‑dly soul is “the powerful flame” (the “flame of G‑d”) which is connected and hidden in a coal (“coals of fire”).14שֶׁשֹּׁרֶש הָאַהֲבָה שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית הוּא בִּבְחִינַת שַׁלְהֶבֶת יָ-הּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִיא קְשׁוּרָה וּגְנוּזָה בְּגַחֶלֶת (רִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ)
The analogy of “coals of fire” illustrates the concept explained previously: that the soul has a revealed source in the realm of Tikkun, but fundamentally, it is rooted in G‑d’s Essence. There are flames that burn visibly above the coal, but the coal’s true fire is vested within it. Even when the fire above the coal is temporarily extinguished, the surface flame can be renewed because fire exists within the coal and can be brought to the surface by blowing on it.
On a higher level,15 the soul’s source can be described with the analogy of a flintstone.16וּלְמַעְלָה יוֹתֵר – כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת צוּר
The fact that sparks can be produced by striking a flint indicates that it contains the potential to create fire. Nevertheless, there is no actual fire within the stone – for that reason it can lie deep in the ocean for hundreds of years and yet still produce sparks when removed. So too, even when the fire within a person’s soul is not openly burning, its potential to produce G‑dly fire exists.
(This refers to a level above G‑d’s name Havayah.17)(שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהֲוָיָ׳),
A name refers to a potential that is revealed and can be appreciated by another person. By contrast, a person’s essence – who he is – remains above his name and cannot be perceived by anyone else. Similarly, in spiritual terms, the name Havayah refers to a level of G‑dliness that is revealed. G‑d’s Essence, in which the souls of the Jewish people are rooted, transcends that level.
On this level, i.e., G‑d’s Essence, the source of the G‑dly soul is rooted, as explained in Likkutei Torah,18שֶׁשָּׁם הוּא שֹׁרֶשׁ הַנְּשָׁמָה, כַּמְּבֹאָר בְּלִקּוּטֵי תּוֹרָה
in the interpretation of the verse,19 “The spirit will return to G‑d Who endowed it.”בְּפֵרוּשׁ הַכָּתוּב וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶל הָאֱלֹקִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ
There, it is stated that “G‑d (Who endowed it)” refers to the level of the flintstone described above, i.e., to the source of the soul in G‑d’s Essence.שֶׁבְּחִינַת הָאֱלֹקִים (אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ) הוּא בְּחִינַת צוּר הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל.

Summary

Why might one think that preoccupation with his business affairs could extinguish a Jew’s love for G‑d? Because the spiritual source of this preoccupation is the realm of Tohu which precedes the realm of Tikkun, the immediate source of the G‑dly soul. True, the realm of Tohu is a higher rung and possesses greater energies than the realm of Tikkun. Nevertheless, the ultimate source of the Jew’s soul is even higher, for every Jew’s soul is rooted in G‑d’s Essence. Hence, its love for G‑d cannot be extinguished by the matters of this world that stem from the realm of Tohu.