This maamar was delivered on the 4th of Menachem-Av, the day preceding the yahrzeit of the Arizal. In commemoration of that date, the Rebbe introduces a teaching of the Arizal, stating that
the concepts explained in the previous section can be connected with a verse from the Haftarah of Shabbos Chazon, the Shabbos preceding Tish’ah BeAv:וְיֵשׁ לְקַשֵּׁר זֶה עִם מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּהַפְטָרָה דְּשַׁבַּת חֲזוֹן
“An ox knows its master… yet Israel did not know, nor did My people contemplate.”1יָדַע שׁוֹר קֹנֵהוּ גו' יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יָדַע עַמִּי לֹא הִתְבּוֹנָן,
The Arizal, [whose yahrzeit will be commemorated tomorrow,]2 interpreted3 that verse as follows:וּפֵרֵשׁ הָאֲרִיזַ"ל [שֶׁהַיּוֹם הוּא עֶרֶב יוֹם הַהִלּוּלָא שֶׁלּוֹ],
The “ox” refers to the Golden Calf made by the mixed multitude4 in the desert.דְּשׁוֹר קָאֵי עַל הָעֵגֶל שֶׁעָשׂוּ הָעֵרֶב רַב בַּמִּדְבָּר,
The sorcerers among them cast the plate on which Moshe had inscribed “Ascend, O ox,”5 to cause Yosef’s coffin to ascend6 from the depths of the Nile River, into the molten gold, enabling the Golden Calf to emerge.עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִשְׁלִיכוּ הַטַּס שֶׁכָּתַב בּוֹ מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵה שׁוֹר בִּכְדֵי לְהַעֲלוֹת אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף.
The Arizal explains that on this plate was written the mystical name of G‑d, Yeli,וּמְבָאֵר דִּבְטַס זֶה הָיָ' כָּתוּב הַשֵּׁם יל"י
(the second name of G‑d’s name comprising 72 names7).(שֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם בֶּן ע"ב שֵׁמוֹת),
Kabbalah speaks of a name of G‑d whose numerical value is 72. That number is reached by calculating the numerical equivalent of the milui of the letters of the name Havayah, yud-hei-vav-hei, when spelling out the letters with the letter yud, i.e., the letter yud is spelled yud-vav-dalet, the letter hei is spelled hei-yud, and the letter vav, vav-yud-vav.
This mystical name is reflected in three verses in Shmos 14: 19, 20, and 21; each of these verses comprises 72 letters. According to Kabbalah there are 72 mystical names of G‑d that are formed by combining specific letters from these verses. The pattern is that one letter is taken from each verse: the first of these 72 mystical names is formed by taking the first letter of the first verse, the last letter of the second verse, and the first letter of the third verse; the second name by taking the second letter of the first verse, the penultimate letter of the second verse, and the second letter of the third verse; the pattern continues on in this manner.
The second letter of the first verse is a yud, the penultimate letter of the second verse is a lamed, and the second letter of the third verse is a yud, these three letters thus form the name Yeli.
This name has dominion over the power of the supernal ox.שֶׁהוּא הַמְּמֻנֶּה עַל כֹּחַ הַשּׁוֹר הָעֶלְיוֹן.
The Arizal explains that in addition to the Biblical phrase that Moshe had written on the plate that he cast into the Nile, he also wrote the mystical name Yeli, and through its mystical power, the coffin of Yosef, who is identified with an ox, ascended. Later, when the sorcerers among the mixed multitude cast this plate into the molten gold, its mystical power caused the Golden Calf to ascend and be invigorated with supernatural energy.
This is the inner meaning of the verse, “An ox knows its master… yet Israel did not know…”וְזֶהוּ יָדַע שׁוֹר קוֹנֵהוּ גו' יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יָדַע גו',
The “ox” itself, i.e., the Golden Calf, knew that it derived its energy from a holy name of G‑d.שֶׁהַשּׁוֹר עַצְמוֹ יָדַע שֶׁהוּא מִשֵּׁם קָדוֹשׁ,
“Yet Israel did not know, nor did My people contemplate,”וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יָדַע עַמִּי לֹא הִתְבּוֹנָן,
i.e., the Jews “did not know and did not contemplate” the mystical process through which the Golden Calf came into being and through which it derived its energy.לֹא יָדְעוּ וְלֹא הִתְבּוֹנְנוּ בָּזֶה,
Instead they said that the Golden Calf ascended as a result of its own powers.וְאָמְרוּ שֶׁהָעֵגֶל עָלָה מֵעַצְמוֹ
They therefore went astray and followed it.וְלָכֵן טָעוּ אַחֲרָיו.
It is on this basis that the Arizal explains that the initial letters of the words of the phrase, “Israel did not know, nor did My people contemplate” form an acronym for the words “Yeli ascended.”וְזֶהוּ שֶׁהָרָאשֵׁי תֵבוֹת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יָדַע עַמִּי לֹא הִתְבּוֹנָן הוּא יל"י עָלָ"ה,
The implication is that the Jews did not know and did not contemplate that (the ox) ascended by virtue of the mystical name Yeli.שֶׁלֹּא יָדְעוּ וְלֹא הִתְבּוֹנָנוּ דְּזֶה שֶׁעָלָ"ה (הַשּׁוֹר) הוּא עַל יְדֵי שֵׁם יל"י,
It was because they lacked this awareness that they therefore said that the Golden Calf ascended by virtue of its own powers.וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ שֶׁעָלָה מֵעַצְמוֹ.
It is possible to say:וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר,
With these words, the Rebbe introduces a deeper understanding of the Arizal’s teaching that enables the Jews’ conduct at the time of the sin of the Golden Calf to be viewed in a more positive light:
This interpretation of the verse, “Israel did not know, nor did My people contemplate” enables one to judge the Jewish people more favorably.דְּפֵרוּשׁ זֶה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יָדַע עַמִּי לֹא הִתְבּוֹנָן הוּא לִמּוּד זְכוּת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Based on this interpretation, it can be explained that the reason they went astray and followed the Golden Calf wasשֶׁהַסִּבָּה לָזֶה שֶׁטָּעוּ אַחֲרֵי הָעֵגֶל, הָיְתָה
that they did not contemplate the dimensions of G‑dliness (reflected in the mystic name Yeli) that transcend the spiritual structure that defines the characteristics of our world.מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הִתְבּוֹנְנוּ בְּהָעִנְיָנִים (הַשֵּׁם יל"י) שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהָעוֹלָם,
G‑d’s name Havayah, as expressed with its milui when spelled out with the letter yud, reflects the transcendent dimension of G‑dliness associated with His infinite light that is sovev kol almin. At the time the Jews made the Golden Calf, their error lay in the fact that they did not contemplate this higher dimension of G‑dliness,
i.e., even then, they served G‑d.הַיְנוּ שֶׁגַּם אָז עָבְדוּ אֶת הֲוָיָ',
Nevertheless, since these events took place before8 the Jews were given the command that each day the Torah and its mitzvos be perceived as new, which, as explained above, involves the fusion of G‑d’s light that is sovev kol almin with His light that is memale kol almin,אֶלָּא שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁאָז הָיָ' לִפְנֵי הַצִּוּוּי דִּבְכָל יוֹם יִהְיוּ בְעֵינֶיךָ כַּחֲדָשִׁים,
their Divine service was consequently characterized by the limitations that prevail within the structure of the Spiritual Cosmos.לָכֵן הָיְתָה עֲבוֹדָתָם בְּהַגְבָּלָה,
It was for this reason,שֶׁלָּכֵן,
i.e., because the revelation of G‑dliness granted the Jews is “measure for measure,” commensurate with their Divine service, as explained above, that
the revelation of G‑dliness that shone forth for them at that time was solely the G‑dly light that is enclothed within the world, His light that is memale kol almin.הַגִּלּוּי שֶׁהֵאִיר לָהֶם אָז הוּא רַק הָאוֹר שֶׁמְּלֻבָּשׁ בְּהָעוֹלָם.
This led to the Jews’ going astray and following the Golden Calf.וּמִזֶּה נִשְׁתַּלְשֵׁל שֶׁטָּעוּ אַחֲרֵי הָעֵגֶל.
The fact that they were not exposed to a higher dimension of G‑dly revelation was what gave rise to the possibility of their sinning.
The statement that the fact that, at the time of the sin of the Golden Calf, the Jews were exposed only to the finite dimension of G‑dliness that is memale kol almin9 is what led to such a severe sin may seem radical. However, it is explained in Chassidus10 that the knowledge that Havayah, which is the name that reflects the transcendent Divine light that is sovev kol almin, and Elokim, the name which is associated with the limited Divine light that is memale kol almin, are one, is necessary in order to preclude the possibility of worshipping false deities. Otherwise, matters of this world can take on independent importance and, as a result, one finds himself on a slippery slope that can ultimately lead to the worship of false deities.
This concept relates to the expression used by the Zohar regarding exile (cited in sec. 6), that “the Holy One, blessed be He, withdrew upward.” The term, “the Holy One, blessed be He,” refers to the transcendent dimension of G‑dliness. The absence of the revelation of this infinite dimension of G‑dliness generates the potential that can ultimately lead to the possibility of sin and exile.
To extend this concept further:
On the basis of the above concepts, it can also be understood that the sin of the Golden Calf led to the shattering of the Tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were inscribed,וְזֶהוּ גַם שֶׁחֵטְא הָעֵגֶל גָּרַם לִשְׁבִירַת הַלֻּחוֹת
which, in turn, led to the possibility that the Torah be forgotten,שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נַעֲשָׂה הָאֶפְשָׁרוּת דְּשִׁכְחַת הַתּוֹרָה,
as our Sages stated,11 “Had the First Tablets not been shattered, the Torah would never have been forgotten by the Jewish people.”
The implication is that even after the sin of the Golden Calf, the connection between the Jewish people and the Torah remained intact.הַיְנוּ שֶׁגַּם לְאַחֲרֵי הַחֵטְא נִשְׁאָר הַקֶּשֶׁר שֶׁלָּהֶם עִם הַתּוֹרָה,
It is only that, after the shattering of the Tablets, the Jews’ Torah study was characterized by limitation; they had lost touch with the essence of the Torah.וְרַק שֶׁלִּמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרֵי שְׁבִירַת הַלֻּחוֹת הוּא בְּהַגְבָּלָה
Therefore, there existed the possibility that their connection with the Torah be interrupted (that the Torah be forgotten), as explained in sec. 6.שֶׁלָּכֵן שַׁיָּךְ בָּזֶה הֶפְסֵק (שִׁכְחָה).
This descent in the Jews’ spiritual level in turn gave rise to the possibility for other nations to rule over them,וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נַעֲשָׂה אֶפְשָׁרוּת שֶׁתִּהְיֶ' אֻמָּה וְלָשׁוֹן שׁוֹלֶטֶת בָּהֶם,
for when the only dimension of G‑dliness that is revealed is the attribute of Malchus, the G‑dly light that is defined by the limitations of the Spiritual Cosmos,כִּי כְּשֶׁהַגִּלּוּי הוּא רַק מִבְּחִינַת הַמַּלְכוּת,
there exists the possibility of exile, as mentioned above (sec. 6).יֵשׁ נְתִינַת מָקוֹם לְגָלוּת, כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל.

Summary

This section develops a connection between the concepts explained previously and a teaching of the Arizal based on a verse from the Haftarah of Shabbos Chazon: “An ox knows its master… yet Israel did not know, nor did My people contemplate.” The Arizal interpreted that verse as follows: The “ox” refers to the Golden Calf made by the mixed multitude in the desert. The sorcerers among them cast the plate on which Moshe inscribed “Ascend, O ox,” in order that Yosef’s coffin would ascend from the Nile River into the molten gold, enabling the Golden Calf to emerge. The Arizal explains that on this plate was written the mystical name of G‑d, Yeli, a name that stems from a level of G‑dliness that transcends the Spiritual Cosmos. This mystical name of G‑d was the source of the powers of the Golden Calf.
The “ox” itself, i.e., the Golden Calf, knew that it derived its energy from a holy name of G‑d. “Yet Israel did not know, nor did My people contemplate,” the Jews did not know and did not contemplate the mystical process through which the Golden Calf came into being and through which it derived its energy, i.e., the reason that they went astray and followed the Golden Calf was that they did not contemplate those dimensions of G‑dliness transcending the spiritual structure that defines the characteristics of our world.
Even then, they served G‑d. However, their Divine service was characterized by the limitations that prevail within the structure of the Spiritual Cosmos. The revelation of G‑dliness that shone forth for them was solely the G‑dly light that is enclothed in the world, G‑d’s light that is memale kol almin.
This led to the Jews’ going astray and following the Golden Calf. The sin of the Golden Calf in turn led to the shattering of the Tablets on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed, which in turn made it possible for the Torah to be forgotten.
This descent in the Jews’ spiritual level, in turn, generated the possibility of exile – for other nations to rule over them – for when the only dimension of G‑dliness that is revealed is the G‑dly light that is defined by the limitations of the Spiritual Cosmos, there exists the possibility of exile.