לְהָבִין מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַזַ"ל "יָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בָּעוֹלָם־הַזֶּה מִכָּל חַיֵּי עוֹלָם־הַבָּא"

The Zohar describes these daily spiritual accomplishments as “garments.” This is because each Mitzvah creates a Divine revelation that clothes the soul of the person and allows him to perceive and experience the deep wisdom of Hashem’s Torah in the spiritual realm of Gan Eden. Without those “garments” for the soul created by the Mitzvos, the finite soul is unable to fully experience the (relatively) infinite revelation of Hashem in Gan Eden.

The verse is thus saying that when Avaham was old, he came and brought with him all the spiritual “garments” that he created from his daily Mitzvos.

The Alter Rebbe in this maamar will explain this teaching from the Zohar in connection with a teaching from Pirkei Avos:

לְהָבִין

עִּנְיַן מַה שאָּמְרוּ רַזַ"ל (אָּבות ד, יז): "יָּפָּה שָּעָּה אַחַת בִּּתְשוּבָּה וּמַעֲשִּים טוֹבִּים בָּּעוֹלָּם־הַזֶּה מִּכָּּל חַיֵּי עוֹלָּם־הַבָּּא". וְצָּרִּיךְ לְהָּבִּין: וַהֲלֹא תַּכְלִּית תְּשוּבָּה וּמַעֲשִּים טוֹבִּים הוּא, שֶמֵּהֶם נַעֲשוּ לְבוּש ין³ לַנְּשָּמָּה שֶתּוּכַל לֵיהָּנוֹת מִּזִּּיו הַשְּכִּינָּה בָּעוֹלָּםַׁ־הבָּא,

Let us explain what our Sages taught (Avos 4:17), “One moment of teshuva and good deeds in this world is better than the entire life in the World to Come.”

We need to understand: Isn’t the entire purpose of teshuva and good deeds that they make garments for the soul so that when it goes to the next world, it can enjoy the radiance of the Shechina-Divine Presence in the World to Come?

כְּמַאֲמר הַזּוֹהַר (חֵלֶק א וַיְחִּי רכד, א)⁴ עַל פָּּסוּק "וְאַבְרָּהָּם זָּקֵן בָּּא בַּיָּּמִּים":

בְּאִּינוּן יוֹמִּין עִּילָּּאִּין כוּ'. וַוי לֵיה לְהַהוּא גַּבְרָּא דְּגָּרַע יוֹמִּין לְעֵילָּא,

As the Zohar (I, 224a) explains on the verse (Bereishis 24:1), “And Avraham was old, coming in days”:

The Zohar comments that these “days” are referring to “those “days” (garments) Above…woe to the one who ruins his “days” Above,

דְּכַד בָּּעְיָּין לְאַלְבָּּשָּא לֵיהּ בְּאִּינוּן

because when they come to dress him in the “days,” which are the garments created from

יוֹמִּין ,

Mitzvos that are required to perceive G-dly revelation in the World to Come,

יוֹמָּא דְפָּגִּם חָּסְרִּין לֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא לְבוּשָּא⁵. כַּנַּ"ל.

the days that were wasted i.e., a day that a mitzvah opportunity was not fulfilled, will be missing from that garment.” This statement of the Zohar corresponds to what was mentioned before that daily mitzvos create garments for the soul in Gan Eden.

The question is: If the purpose of mitzvos is to create garments for the soul in Gan Eden, so that the soul can enjoy the Light of Hashem there, then seemingly, the Light of Hashem in Gan Eden is greater and more valuable than mitzvos.

However, in Pirkei Avos quoted above it says that one hour of mitzvos and Teshuva is greater than all the life of the soul in Gan Eden!

If mitzvos are greater than the life of the soul in Gan Eden, then why are they called merely “garments” for the soul to be able to receive the Light of Hashem in Gan Eden?

וְהָּעִּנְיָּן: דְּהִּנֵּה עִּנְיַן זִּיו הַשְּכִּינָּה בָּּעוֹלָּם־הַבָּּא אֵינוֹ כְּמוֹ הִּתְפַּשְטוּת חַיּוּת אֱלֹקוּת בְּתוֹךְ הָּעוֹלָּמוֹת,

Now, the idea is: The radiance of Hashem’s Shechina-Presence in the World to Come i.e., Gan Eden, is not like the lifeforce of Elokus⁶ and dimensions of the worlds,

that extends into the other aspects

כְּמוֹ שֶכָּּתוּב (נְחֶמְיָּה ט, ו): "וְאַתָּּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כּ ולָּּם",

שֶהַחַיּוּת אֱלֹקוּת הַמִּּתְלַבֵּש תּוֹך [ כל]⁷ עָּלְמִּין אֵינוֹ מוּשָּּג וְנִּרְאה.

as it is written, “and You Hashem enliven them all” (Nechemia 9:6).

This is because the lifeforce of Elokus that is invested within each world outside of Gan Eden is not grasped or perceived by the creations of that realm.

כִּּמְשַל הִּתְפַּשְּטוּת הַחַיּוּת שֶל הַנְּשָּמָּה תּוֹךְ הַגּוּף בְּהִּתְחַלְּקוּת הָּאֵבָּרִּים;

This can be understood as in the analogy of the energy and life that extends from the soul differentiated into each limb, allowing each limb to function according to its own characteristics.

into

the

body

and

becomes

וּבְוַדַּאי בְּהַחַיּוּת⁸ רוּחָּנִּי לֹא ש יָּּיך כְּלָּל ש יִּּהְיֶה בּוֹ גַּם כֵּן הִּתְחַלְּקוּת הַחַיּוּת לַחֲלָּקִּים, כִּּי אֵין בְּרוּחָּנִּיּוּת שוּם תְּמוּנָּה וְצִּיּוּר.

Surely, it is not possible that this spiritual energy of the soul becomes separated into parts corresponding to the separate parts of the body, since spiritual energy has no image or form.

In Tanya chapter 51 the Alter Rebbe explain: The soul itself is essentially a singular indivisible spiritual entity. It contains the potential power to animate all the different parts of the body. When it comes into the body, each body part receives power from the soul according to its nature. However, the soul itself is not a conglomerate of different soul powers, it is a single indivisible entity that contains the potential power for all the various energies needed in the body.

וְהִּנֵּה, הִּתְפַּעֲלוּת הַחַיּוּת בָּּאֵבָּרִּים נִּיכָּּר וְנִּרְאה,

Now, the activity of the soul’s energy in the limbs can be recognized and perceived.

powers of will power, pleasure, intellect, and emotion, and in its ability to be revealed in giving life and function to the body etc. These soul powers are not the indivisible essence of the soul, but they are not separate from the soul either. Rather, they are the extension of the soul, the light and power of the soul. Similarly, Elokus is the light and power of Hashem, it is not separate from Hashem at all, but it is not the essence of Hashem either.

אֲבָּל מָּהוּת וְעַצְמוּת הַחַיּוּת אֵינו נִּרְאה וְנִּיכָּּר כְּלָּל.

However, the lifeforce itself, in its essence, cannot be seen or recognized at all.

A person can feel the fact that he has life from his soul in his body, which enables it live and function in various ways. However, the essential lifeforce and being of the soul that transcends the limitation and details of the body is not perceived directly.

כְּמוֹ כֵן חַיּוּת אֱלֹקוּת הַמְחַיה כָּּל הָּעוֹלָּמוֹת בַּעֲלֵי גְבוּל וְתַכְלִּית, בְּוַדַּאי אֵין בְּהַחַיּוּת הָּרוּחָּנִּי בְּחִּינַת גְּבוּל וְתַכְלִּית.

דרֶךְ מָּשָּל, חַיּוּת הַמְחַיה אֶת עִּיגּוּל כַּדּוּר הַשָּּמַיִּם,

בְּוַדַּאי לֹא יִּתָּּכֵן לוֹמַר שֶגַּם הַחַיּוּת הָּרוּחָּנִּי הוּא בִּּתְמוּנַת עִּיגּוּל כַּנַּ"ל.

Similarly, just because there is lifeforce from Elokus that enlivens all the limited worlds, certainly does not mean that this spiritual energy is in any way limited or finite.

This is analogous to the lifeforce of the rounded sphere of the heavens.

Surely, it is not possible to say that also the spiritual energy that energizes the heavenly sphere is also round in shape.

רַק שֶהִּתְפַּשְּטוּת הַחַיּוּת הוּא לְפִּי תְּמוּנַת כְּלִּי הַמְקַבֵּל הַחַיּוּת.

Rather, we must say that it is the undefined and unlimited energy that extends forth according characteristics of the vessel that receives the energy.

to

the

structure

and

The fact that every creation of every world receives a specific lifeforce from Hashem is connected to the limitation of the creature itself. The lifeforce from Hashem itself has no such details and limitations.

וְאַף עַל פִּּי שֶהַחַיּוּת מִּתְלַבֵּש לְתוֹכו, מִּכָּּל מָּקוֹם הַחַיּוּת עַצְמו אֵינוֹ בְּגֶדֶר מָּקוֹם וּגְבוּל. :

And, even though the lifeforce becomes invested within the recipient, the lifeforce itself does not become defined by spatial parameters applicable to the creature receiving life from Hashem.

or

any other

limitation

The Alter Rebbe is emphasizing that the lifeforce from Hashem does in fact become invested in each creation, similar to how the lifeforce of the soul comes into the body. But nonetheless, the lifeforce from Hashem is still not affected on any level by the creature it gives life to.

וּבָזֶה

יוּבָּן דִּּכְתִּיב (יְשַעְיָּה ו, ג): "מְלֹא כָּל הָּאָּרֶץ כְבוֹדו",

Based on this, we can understand how to resolve the following contradiction: It is written in one verse (Yeshaya 6:3), “The world is filled with His Glory,”

וְתַרְגּוּמו: " זִיויְקָּרֵיהּ", שֶהוּא רַק זִּיו וְהִּתְפַּשְּטוּת הֶאָּרָּה בִּּלְבַד;

which the Targum Yonasan renders this as, “the ray of His Glory,” meaning that it is only a ray and glimmer of Hashem’s true Glory that fills the earth.

וּכְתִּיב (יִּרְמְיָּה כג, כד): "אֶת הַשָּּמַיִּם וְאֶת הָּאָּרֶץ אֲנִי מָּלֵא"!

However, it is written in another verse (Yirmiya 23:24), “I [Hashem] fill the heavens and the earth” implying that Hashem Himself fills the earth, not just a “ray” of “His Glory”?

וְהָּעִּנְיָּן, שֶשְּנֵיהֶם אֱמֶת כַּנַּ"ל⁹ .

The idea is, that both concepts are true, as will be further explained.

וְזֶהוּ שֶאָּמְרוּ רַזַ"ל¹⁰: "ב מקוֹם שאַתָּּה מוֹצֵא גְדוּלָּּתוֹ שֶל הַקָּּדוֹש בָּּרוּך־הוּא עֹ נְוְתָּנוּתו כוּ'."

דְּהַיְינו, לֹא כְּמוֹ שֶהָּעוֹלָּם סוֹבְרִּים שֶגְּדוּלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא נִּקְרָּא מַה שהוּא יִּתְבָּּרֵךְ מְחַיֶּה כָּּל הָּעוֹלָּמוֹת,

שֶאַדְּרַבָּּה זוֹ הִּיא יְרִידָּה אֶצְלו יִּתְבָּּרֵך, שֶמַּשְפִּּיל עַצְמוֹ וּמִּתְלַבֵּש תּוֹך וּלְקַיְּימָּם.

וּמַה שכָּּתוּב (נְחֶמְיָּה ט, ו): "וְאַתָּּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כֻּּלָּּם" אֵינוֹ שְבַח בִּּבְחִּינַת

שָּם

אַתָּּה

מוֹצֵא

כָּּל

עָּלְמִּין

לְהַחְיוֹתָּם

גְדולָּתו

יִּתְבָּּרֵך

–

This idea is understood based on what our Sages said (Megila 31a), “Wherever you find Hashem’s Greatness is where you will find His Humility.”

Meaning, that it is not like what the world thinks, that Hashem’s Greatness refers to the fact that he gives life to all the worlds.

For, on the contrary, for Him this is a descent, that He lowers Himself and invests Himself within the worlds to give them life and existence.

And when the verse says, “And You enliven them all,” this is not a praise of Hashem’s Greatness, for “His Greatness cannot be understood” (Tehillim 145:3), and “His

שֶ"לגְדוּלָּּתוֹ אֵין חֵקֶר" (תְּהִּלִּּים קמה, ג), וְ"לִּתְבוּנָּתוֹ אֵין מִּסְפָּּר" (תְּהִּלִּּים קמז, ה),

אֶלָּּא הַשֶּבַח הוּא בִּּבְחִּינַת עֲנָּוָּה שֶלּו, שֶיּוּכַל לְהַשְפִּּיל עַצְמו וְכוּ'.

understanding (Tehillim 147:5).

is

beyond

reckoning”

Rather, this a praise of Hashem’s humility, that He lowers Himself to such an extent that He even relates to and enlivens the worlds and the creatures within them.

אֲבָּל עִּנְיַן עוֹלָּם־הַבָּּא, שֶ" נֶׁהֱנִין מִּזִּּיו הַשְּכִּינָּה"¹¹, הוּא הַשָּּגַת מַָּהוּת וְעַצְמוּת הִּתְפַּשְּטוּת הַחַיּוּת אֱלֹקוּת בִּּבְחִּינַת גִּּילּוּי. :

However, the idea of the World to Come i.e., Gan Eden, in which Jewish souls “delight in the radiance of the Shechina-Divine Presence” is that they can grasp and perceive the actual essence of the lifeforce of Elokis in a revealed manner.

The following explanation will be based on the Tzemach Tzedek’s comments in Or HaTorah (Bereishis vol. 3, p. 130a, Devarim vol. 6 p. 2,230):

There are two ideas of “the World to Come” which in this context refers to Gan Eden:

The first idea:

There is a fundamental difference between Gan Eden and the remainder of all the created worlds and their inhabitants:

In the worlds in general, Hashem’s lifeforce is not grasped or perceived directly. We know that it exists, and we feel its presence, but we do not “see” it directly.

However, the souls of the Jewish people, both those that are not born yet and those that left the body, enter the “World to Come” which is Gan Eden. The name Gan Eden means “garden of delight.” The delight is from the fact the soul can “see” and directly perceive and experience the lifeforce of Elokus that flows into Gan Eden and into the souls there. This level of perception of Elokus is on a completely different level than anywhere else in any of the created worlds. (The angels that live in the World of Beriah, which contains the Higher Gan Eden, have some perception of this lifeforce of Elokus, but not nearly on the same level as the Jewish souls in Gan Eden itself that directly perceive this power of Elokus.)

Based on the above we can explain the contradiction between the two verses:

The verse that says that “I [Hashem] fill the heaven and earth” means that He is present in heaven and earth, and gives life to heaven and earth, but He is not “seen” by the creations.

The verse that says that only a “ray of His Glory” fills the earth refers to the revelation of Hashem. The revelation of Hashem in the created worlds is only like a ray of light, a minute glimmer, of His true glory. In fact, outside of Gan Eden no one can directly see even Hashem’s power that is invested in the creation. Only in Gan Eden can they directly “see” the “ray of His Glory” that enlivens the creations.

However, there is a second idea to Gan Eden, that surpasses what was explained above:

Not only do the Jewish souls in Gan Eden directly “see” the power of Elokus that is creating and enlivening them, but the souls that left the body after doing mitzvos have something even greater:

They can perceive the Infinite Light of Hashem, the Essence of Elokus, that shines in the Ten Sefiros of the World of Atzilus. This Infinite Light is completely beyond the limited Light of Hashem that descends to create and enliven the worlds. This is only accessible to Jewish souls that performed mitzvos in the physical world and then left the body. The souls who were not born yet are not able to access this Infinite Light shining from Atzilus.

Now the Alter Rebbe will ask: How is possible for any creation to perceive the Infinite Light shining in Atzilus?

צָּרִּיךְ לְהָּבִּין ,

וְעַתָּה

Now, we need to understand the following:

אֵיךְ תוּכַל הַנְּשָּמָּה, שֶהִּיא בְּחִּינַת נִּבְרָּא, יֵש וְדָּבָּר בִּּפְנֵי עַצְמו,

How can the soul, which is a created entity, that perceives itself as having its own independent existence that is separate from Hashem,

לְהַש יג מַָּהוּת וְעַצְמוּת אֱלֹקוּת שֶאֵינוֹ בִּּבְחִּינַת הַשָּּגָּה וּגְבוּל?

be able to perceive and “see” the Essence and true Being of Elokus, the Infinite Light shining in Atzilus that is then funneled down into Gan Eden, when this level of Elokus, is beyond the understanding of creations since it is essentially unlimited?

וְאַף שֶהַנְּשָּמָּה הִּיא "חֵלֶק אֱלוֹהַּ מִּמָּּעַל" (אִּיּוֹב לא, ב),

Now, the above it true even though the soul is a “piece of Elokus from Above.

Perhaps we can answer: Since the Jewish soul is “a piece of Elokus from Above,” meaning that it derives from the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus, therefore, once it leaves the limitation of the body, it is in fact able to perceive the level of Elokus of Atzilus that shines into Gan Eden.

However, the Alter Rebbe rejects this explanation by saying that the soul we have down here only derives from the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus, but on a revealed level does not retain all the characteristics and infinitude of Atzilus. (See Tanya chapter 2 for more on this.)

הוּא דרֶךְ מָּשָּל כְּעִּנְיַן טִּפַּת הַזֶּרַע שֶנִּּמְשְכָּה מִּן הַמּוֹח, שֶלֹּא יִּתָּּכֵן לוֹמַר שֶגַּם עוֹדֶנָּּה בְּמוֹחוֹ הָּיְתָּה טִּפַּת זֶרַע גַּשְמִּית, שֶאִּם כֵּן הָּיָּה נֶחְסַר מֵהַמּוֹח כוּ'.

This answer is not sufficient, for the following reason: This is analogous to the droplet of seed that derives from the brain of the father, about which it is impossible to claim that while it was still within the brain it was a physical droplet. For, if that were the case, then by leaving the brain, this droplet would cause the brain to be lacking part of its physical substance, and the brain is not diminished in any way by producing seed.

אַךְ שֶבֶּאֱמֶת הַתְחָּלַת הַמְשָּכָּתָּה מִּן הַמּוֹחַ הוּא כֹּחַ רוּחָּנִּי לְבַד, אֶלָּּא שֶאַחַר כָּּךְ בְּהִּשְתַּלְשְלוּת יְרִּידָּתָּה

חוּט נִּּשְתַּנֵּית וְנַעֲש ית טִּפָּּה גַשְמִּית.

דרֶך

הַש דְרָּה

However, truthfully, at the beginning of the drawing down of the seed from the brain it exists as an intangible potential for producing seed. But, afterward, through the descent of this intangible potential for seed down the spinal cord, it changes, becoming a physical droplet.¹²

כֵּן עַל דרֶךְ מָּשָּל, הַנְּשָּמָּה עִּיקַּר שָּרְשָּהּ מִּבְּחִּינַת אֱלֹקוּת מַמָּּש, רַק שֶנִּּשְתַּלְשְלָּה בִּּירִּידָּתָּהּ לִּהְיוֹת בְּחִּינַת נִּבְרָּא, יֵש וְדָּבָּר בִּּפְנֵי עַצְמו כוּ' –

Similarly, by way of analogy, the soul’s main root is in the actual Elokus of the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus. However, it came down by way of the chainlike system of spiritual levels known as Hishtalshelus to become a created entity that perceives itself to be an independent being.

In other words, as the soul comes down into an actual physical person it is still connected to Elokus, but it does not retain the original properties of limitlessness of the Elokus of the Sefiros of Atzilus. Rather, it takes on the limitations of created beings.

Just as the child derives from the brain of the father, but now he is separate from the father, so too, the soul derives from the Elokus itself, but descends to become a separate entity.

וְאִּם כֵּן, אֵיךְ תוּכַל לְהַש יג מַָּהוּת וְעַצְמוּת אֱלֹקוּת ?

If so, how, then, can it possibly directly perceive the Essential Light of Elokus?

: וְהָּעִּנְיָּן The idea is as follows:

דְּהִּנֵּה כְּתִּיב: "וַיָּּבֹא מֹשֶה בְּתוֹך הֶעָּנָּן" (מִּשְפָּּטִּים כד, יח), "וַיְהִּי שָּם ]. .[ אַרְבָּּעִּים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּּעִּים לַיְלָּה,לֶחֶם לֹא אָּכַלכוּ'" (תִּּשאלד, כח).

The regarding Moshe on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah, “And Moshe came in the cloud” and then ascended to the top of the mountain to learn from Hashem. Another verse states: “And he was there for 40 days and 40 nights; he did not eat any bread or drink any water” (Ki Sisa 34:28).

verse

(Mishpotim

24;18)

states

When Moshe went on Mount Sinai to receive the Torah from Hashem, he was first “wrapped up” in a “cloud” and then he was able to learn with Hashem at the top of the mountain for 40 days and nights without eating or sleeping.

וְהָּיָּה גוּפוֹ הַגַּשְמִּי נִּיזּוֹן מִּמָּּזוֹן רוּחָּנִּי לְבַד.

כְּמוֹ שֶכָּּתוּב (תְּהִּלִּּים עח, כה): "לֶחֶם אַבִּּירִּים¹³ אָּכַל אִּיש וְכוּ'" – מַמָּּש כְּמוֹ הַמַּלְאָּכִּים¹⁴ –

During those 40 days, his physical body was nourished entirely by spiritual “food.”

As it is written (Tehillim 78:25), “The man (Moshe) ate the spiritual food of angels,” meaning, that Moshe’s physical body was literally sustained by Divine Light just as the angels are sustained by the spiritual “food” of Divine Light.

וְאֵיךְ יוּכַל לִּהְיוֹת זֶה, שֶגַּשְמִּי יְקַבֵּל

מָּזוֹן

וְחַיּוּת

מֵרוּחָּנִּי,

Now, how is it possible for a physical being to receive its lifeforce and sustenance from

שֶמּוּבְדָּּלִּים זֶה מִּזֶּה בְּתַכְלִּית ?

spirituality? They are completely different realms of existence!

אַךְ זֶהוּ עִּנְיַן הֶעָּנָּן שֶהָּיָּה מֹשֶה עָּלָּיו־ הַשָּּלוֹם מִּתְכַּסֶּה בּו¹⁵.

But this is the idea and purpose of the cloud with which Moshe clothed himself before ascending Har Sinai to learn the Torah with Hashem.

דְּהַיְינו,

הֶעָּנָּן מִּמַּדְרֵגַת אֱלֹקוּת מְאֹד נַעֲלה, אַך שֶנִּּשְתַּלְשֵל וְנִּתְגַשֵּם לִּהְיוֹת לבוּש לְמֹשֶה עָּלָּיו־הַשָּּלוֹם שֶעַלֹ יָּדו יוּכַל לְהַש יג אֱלֹקוּת;

וְהָּיָּה לוֹ לְמָּזוֹן .

שֶהָּיָּה

שָּרְשו

Meaning, that the cloud was rooted in a very lofty level of Elokus. However, it descended to the physical level to become a garment for Moshe, enabling him to grasp Elokus,

and in this way, it enabled him to be physically sustained by spiritual “food,” i.e., energy that came from Hashem’s Light shining into him through the Torah he learned.

כִּּמְשַל אָּדָּם הרוֹאֶה וּמִּסְתַּכֵּל בְּאוֹר צַח דרֶךְ יְרִּיעָּה,

This is analogous to a person who looks at a bright light shining through a curtain.

The curtain filters out the intensity of the light so that the person can perceive the light without becoming overwhelmed.

Similarly, the power of Hashem’s Light which shines in the spiritual worlds of the angels is too powerful and lofty for the physical body to receive and be powered by it.

The “cloud” was a filter that blocked out the intensity and loftiness of Hashem’s Light shining in the Torah so that Moshe’s body could handle receiving it and being powered by it, similar to how the angels are powered by Hashem’s Light that shines in the spiritual worlds.

The reason the “cloud” was able to serve an interface system between the loftiness of Hashem’s Light and the physicality of the body is because this “cloud” is derived from a very deep level of Elokus, that is higher than the Hashem’s Light that shines in the spiritual worlds of the angels.

The cloud, which is the idea of darkness and concealment, derives from a level of Elokus that is “dark” in the sense that it so deep it is beyond the perception of all spiritual beings of souls and angels. It seems “dark” to them because it transcends their understanding. Because this level is so lofty, relative to it there is no difference between the physical needs of a body or the spiritual needs of an angel, since both are equally distant from this level of Elokus. Because from that level physical and spiritual are equal, it can enable these two realms to merge, so that the physical body can be nourished by the spiritual energy that angels live from.

The Alter Rebbe gave an analogy of the “cloud” that Moshe used as an interface for his mind and body to receive and be powered by Hashem’s Light. Now he will apply that concept to how Mitzvos in general serve as an interface system for the soul to perceive Elokus in Gan Eden after they leave the body:

כְּמוֹ כֵן תּוֹרָּה וּמִּצְוֹת מַעֲשִּיּוֹת ,

Similarly, regarding Torah study and the actions of mitzvos:

מֵרָּצוֹן מֵחָּכְמָּתוֹ יִּתְבָּּרֵך, שֶהֵם מְיוּחָּדִּים בּוֹ יִּתְבָּּרֵך, "הוּא חַכִּּים כוּ'¹⁶",

שֶשָּּרְשָּם

הָּעֶלְיוֹן,

They are rooted in Hashem’s Lofty Will and Wisdom, and are completely unified with him, for “He [Hashem] is Wise, but not with a knowable Wisdom” (Introduction to Tikkunei Zohar).

Saying that “Hashem is Wise” means that Hashem puts Himself, as it were, into the level of Wisdom of Atzilus, so that it becomes “His Wisdom,” that is completely inseparable from Him. Because this Wisdom is one with Hashem it is “not a knowable wisdom” to the creations, since, just as Hashem is unknowable, His Wisdom is also essentially unknowable to the creations in its original state. Only after Hashem’s Wisdom of Atzilus is limited and brought down to a lower level can it be comprehended by the creations.

שֶהֵם לְמַעְלָּה מִּזִּּיו הַשְּכִּינָּה, שֶהוּא רַק הִּתְפַּשְּטוּת הַחַיּוּת כוּ';

These levels of Elokus which are Hashem’s Will and Wisdom in Atzilus are above and beyond the level of Elokus called “the ray of the Shechina-Divine Presence, which is just a radiance of energy of Malchus of Atzilus.

The World of Atzilus has ten Sefiros, ten levels and aspects of Hashem’s revelation, how Hashem brings Himself down, as it were, to relate to creations. The highest of these Sefiros is Chochmah-Wisdom, the essential Wisdom of Hashem. This level is the inner wisdom and purpose behind all of creation. What

is this innermost wisdom and purpose of creation? The Torah is the innermost wisdom of Hashem and fulfilling mitzvos is the innermost purpose of why Hashem creates everything. Thus, the Torah and Mitzvos are the highest level of Atzilus, the innermost wisdom and will behind all of creation.

The lowest level of the Sefiros of Atzilus is the Sefirah of Malchus-Kingship. This is the level of how Hashem comes down to actually act as a King and Creator of the universe. This level itself has two aspects: 1- Hashem’s Sefirah of Malchus as it exists in Atzilus is the power to create and govern the worlds. 2- Hashem’s Sefirah of Malchus as it descends “out of Atzilus” into the realm of the created worlds to create, enliven, and govern them. This second level of Malchus is referred to as “Shechina-Divine Presence,” since it is the level of how Hashem’s power and lifeforce is “present” and manifest in a revealed sense to the creations. The “ray” of the Shechina is how the power and light of Malchus becomes limited according to the capacity of the creations to handle without being overwhelmed, in each level according to their limitations.

Thus, the Torah and Mitzvos themselves are from the highest levels of Elokus, from the highest level of Atzilus, which is incomparably higher and deeper than the limited “ray of the Shechina” that shines in the created worlds.

וְנִּשְתַּלְשְלוּ וְנִּתְפַּשְטוּּ וְנִּתְלַבְּשו בְּעִּנְיְנֵי זֶה הָּעוֹלָּם הַגַּשְמִּי, כְּמו קְלָּף שֶל תְּפִּלִּּין, וְצֶמֶר שֶל צִּיצִּית, וּצְדָּקָּה כוּ' –

And yet, these levels of Hashem’s Will and Wisdom downwards and became invested in matters of this physical world, such as parchment for tefillin and wool for tzitzis and money for tzedakah.

descended

and

extended

כְּשֶאָּדָּם עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָּה וּבַמִּּצְוֹת נַעֲשה לְנִּשְמָּתוֹ לְבוּשִּים שֶנִּּתְלַבֵּש בָּּהֶם בְּגַן־עֵדֶן הָּעֶלְיוֹן,

When a person involves himself in learning Torah and doing mitzvos, this creates a garment for his soul to that it wears when it is in the Upper Gan Eden.

שֶעַל יָּדם תוּכָּל הַנְּשָּמָּה, שֶהִּיא בְּחִּינַת נִּבְרָּא, לְהַש יג זִּיו הַשְּכִּינָּה, עַצְמוּת אֱלֹקוּת.

By way of these garments, the soul, which is a created entity, can: 1- grasp the radiance of the Shechina that creates and enlivens the worlds, and more than that, 2- it perceives the Essential Light of Elokus shining in Atzilus.

Just as the “cloud” that Moshe had served as an interface system that allowed his human mind and physical body to become bound up with Elokus, the Mitzvos we do create a similar interface system that allows the finite soul to directly perceive both levels of Elokus that shine in Gan Eden, known as the “radiance of the Shechina,” and “the Essence of Elokus,” that shines from Atzilus, as explained above.

The reason that Mitzvos have this power is because they derive from a level in Elokus that is incomparably loftier than the “radiance of the Shechina,” rather, they derive from Hashem’s Will. Because mitzvos are from such a deep level in Elokus that is beyond the limitations of all worlds, from the perspective of that lofty source there in no difference between the limitation of the soul and the (relative) limitlessness of the “radiance of the Shechina” and these two things can merge.

In other words, specifically because Torah and Mitzvos are so much loftier than the Light of Hashem in Gan Eden, that is why they even have the power allow a limited creation to perceive the Elokus of Gan Eden. This is expressed in the “garments” created by the Mitzvos that the soul “wears” to enter Gan Eden and perceive Elokus there without being overwhelmed.

וְזֶהוּ "יָּפָּה שָּעָּה אַחַת בִּּתְש וּבָּה וּמַעֲש ים טוֹבִּים" – שֶהֵם שָּרְשָּם מֵרָּצוֹן־הָּעֶלְיוֹן בָּּרוּך־הוּא – "מִּכָּּל חַיֵּי עוֹלָּם הַבָּּא", שֶהוּא רַק זִּיו הַשְּכִּינָּה כַּיָּּדוּע,

And this is the meaning of “Better one moment of teshuva and good deeds” – since they are rooted in Hashem’s Supernal Will – “than all the life of the World to Come in Gan Eden” – since it is only a radiance of Hashem’s Shechina, as is known.

The Tzemach Tzedek adds: Even the Infinite Light shining from Atzilus into Gan Eden is still not as great as the mitzvah itself. Since even that Light from Atzilus is only a glimmer of the truly Infinite dimension of the connection to Hashem accomplished by the mitzvah. Even though this Light of Atzilus is so much greater than the “regular” Light of Hashem invested in Gan Eden, nonetheless, it is still only a glimmer of the Essential Will of Hashem found in the Mitzvah that transcends the entire World of Atzilus.

מִּכָּּל מָּקוֹם הֵם נִּקְרָּאִּים "לְבוּשִּים" – שֶעַל יָּדָּהּ תוּכָּל לְהַש יג זִּיו הַשְּכִּינָּה. וְדַי לַמֵּבִּין. :

Nevertheless, teshuva and mitzvos are called “garments,” which enable one to grasp the radiance of the Shechina. This should suffice for those who understand.

Based on all the above, we answered the question that was asked at the beginning of the maamar:

If mitzvos are better than all “the World to Come,” then why are they merely “garments” for the soul to enter Gan Eden?

The answer:

There are two aspects of the mitzvos. One is the source of Mitzvos is from Hashem’s Essential Will, will transcends the limitations of all worlds, and is above and beyond the realm of Gan Eden, known as “the World to Come.”

The second is how the mitzvos come down here into this world. When a Jew performs a mitzvah in this world, he not only connects to the source of the Mitzvah, Hashem’s Essential Will, but he also creates a “garment” for his soul to enable it to perceive the Elokus in Gan Eden known as “the radiance of the Shechina.”

The fact that Mitzvos also create a garment for the soul to enter Gan Eden is specifically because their source is so lofty and unlimited that it has the power to combine such opposites as a limited soul of a person and the (relatively) limitless Light of Hashem in Gan Eden.

The Alter Rebbe has described how precious mitzvos are, that they are beyond the whole category of the realm of Gan Eden, seemingly the only thing important in life should be to do mitzvos.

Now we need to understand: If mitzvos are so important, and are greater than mystical revelations of Hashem in Gan Eden, why spend time trying to awaken a love and fear for Hashem through contemplation, wouldn’t it be a better use of the time to just do more mitzvos?

The answer will be¹⁷: Mitzvos are performed with physical things in this world. For these “garments” of the mitzvos to ascend to Gan Eden and serve as the spiritual interface between the soul and Elokus, they need to be “elevated” by the “wings” of the love and fear of Hashem.

וְעַתָּה

צָּרִּיךְ לְהָּבִּין עִּנְיַן אַהֲבָּה־וְיִּרְאָּה, שֶהֵם רַק "גדְפִּין"¹⁸ לְבַד לְהַגְבִּּיהַּ עִּיקַּר הַדָּּבָּר שֶהֵם תּוֹרָּה וּמַעֲש ים טוֹבִּים;

And now, we need to understand the idea of love and fear of Hashem, which are like the “wings” compared to the main thing, which is Torah study and good deeds of mitzvah performance.

A bird has wings which allow it to fly, but are not the main part of the body of the bird, since, a bird can live even its wings are not functioning.

Similarly, the Torah and mitzvos are the main “body” and vitality of our connection to Hashem. But the love and fear of Hashem are “wings” that enable our Torah and mitzvos to “fly” up to a higher level of revealing this connection to

Hashem and experiencing it on a conscious level. This is expressed in their ability to serve as “garments” for the soul in Gan Eden, enabling them to perceive Elokus.

וּלְהָּבִּין מַָּהוּת הָּאַהֲבָּה–מַה הִּיא ?

We need to understand: What is the true meaning of this love for Hashem that enables our mitzvos to “fly up”?

בִּּקְרִּיאַת־שְמַע שֶיַּמְלִּיכוּהוּ לְמַעְלָּה וּלְמַטָּּה וּלְד' רוּחוֹת הָּעוֹלָּם¹⁹.

פֵּירוּש, דִּּכְתִּיב: "מְלֹא כָּל הָּאָּרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ", וְתַרְגּוּמו: " זִיויְקָּרֵיהּ" ,

הִּנֵּה

צָּרִּיך

In Krias Shema we need to declare Hashem’s Kingship Above and Below, and in all Four directions of the world.

The meaning of this can be explained based on what is written, “The whole world is filled with His Glory.” The Targum Yonasan translates “His Glory” as “the ray of His Glory.” This indicates that it is only a ray and radiance of Hashem’s Light that becomes invested within the worlds. And another verse states, “I fill the heavens and the earth.”

This second verse does not refer to His Glory, but rather Hashem Himself (“I fill”). How can this be that Hashem Himself, in His Essence, fills the heavens and earth, since he cannot be grasped in any limited or measured way?

שֶהוּא רַק זִּיו וְהִּתְפַּשְטוּת וְהֶאָּרָּה בִּּלְבַד הַמִּּתְלַבֶּשֶת תּוֹךְ כָּּל עָּלְמִּין;

This indicates that it is only a ray and radiance of Hashem’s Light that becomes invested within the worlds.

וּכְתִּיב: "אֶת הַשָּּמַיִּם וְאֶת הָּאָּרֶץ אֲנִי מָּלֵא", בִּּבְחִּינַת עַצְמוּת אֱלֹקוּת שֶאֵינוֹ נִּתְפַּס תּוֹךְ מִּדָּּה וּגְבוּל?

However, another verse states, “I [Hashem] fill the heavens and the earth,” meaning, that the Essence of Elokus, Hashem Himself – who is not grasped in any measured or limited way – is what fills the heaven and earth, not merely the “ray of His Glory”?

. וְהָּעִּנְיָּן שֶשְּנֵיהֶם אֱמֶת כוּ' Now, the idea is that they are both true:

כִּּמְשַל בִּּטּוּל זִּיו הַשֶּמֶש בִּּמְקוֹר הַשֶּמֶש עַצְמָּה.

This can be understood from the analogy of the nullification of the rays of the sun within the sun itself.

כַּיָּּדוּעַ שֶבֶּאֱמֶת, עַצְמוּת אֱלֹקוּת – "מְלֹא כָּל הָּאָּרֶץ".

As is known, that in truth, the Essence of Elokus, Hashem Himself, “fills the entire world.”

אַךְ מַה שהוּא מִּתְפַּשֵּט תּוֹךְ כְּלִּי וּגְבוּל, הוּא בָּּטֵל וְנִּכְלָּל בְּמָּהוּתו וְעַצְמוּתוֹ אֱלֹקוּת כוּ'.

However, His light and power that He expresses within the limits and constraints of the worlds that He creates is considered as nothing other than its original source that it still exists inside of, which is the True Essence of Elokus.

The light of the sun exists withing the sun, but it is not noticeable or separate from the sun at that point. Similarly, the light and power of Hashem, His limited expression that He uses to create and sustain the worlds, actually still exists inside of its source, Hashem Himself. This is because Hashem is everywhere, there is no place or level that can exist outside of Him. The reason we see a world as existing separate from Hashem is only because Hashem is hiding Himself and His Elokus that is creating us. But, in reality, we still exist inside of Him, even though we don’t know it (yet).

Therefore, both ideas are true: On the one hand, what we see manifest in creation is only a limited expression of His Light and Power, the “ray of His Glory,” that He uses to create the world. (Even this limited expression of Elokus is also hidden from us to see it directly, we only know about its existence from the fact that it interacts with us by creating and enlivening us, but we can’t actually “see” it.)

On the other hand, the fact is that everything still exists inside of its True Source, which is Hashem Himself, even though this fact is completely hidden from our perception, even from perceiving its existence, except indirectly (like through studying Chassidus).

וְהִּנֵּה, כְּש יִּּתְבּוֹנֵן אָּדָּם הֵיטֵב בָּּזֶה בִּּפְסוּקֵי־ דְּזִּמְרָּה וּבקְרִּיאַת שְמַע,

Now, when one will properly reflect on this idea during Pesukei D’Zimra and Krias Shema,

אֵיךְ שֶבֶּאֱמֶת הוּא כֵּן, שֶהָּעוֹלָּמוֹת בְּטֵלִּים בִּּמְקוֹר חַיּוּתָּם,

the idea that in truth the worlds and all their inhabitants, including the person himself, are nothing other than an extension of their Source of Life that are still included in, Hashem who is creating and enlivening them.

רַק מִּפְּנֵי שֶהָּאָּדָּם הוּא בִּּכְלִּי גַשְמִּי – הַגּוּף שֶהוּא "מַשְכָּּא דְחִּוְיָּא"²⁰,

And the reason he cannot perceive this at all is only because a person is limited within a physical vessel, i.e., the body, which is called ‘the skin of the snake,’²¹ since it derives from kelipas nogah (see note),

שֶמִּּתְגַּדֵּל וּמִּתְרַבֶּה מִּגַּשְמִּיּוּת, הַמַּסְתִּּיר וּמַעְלִּים שֶלֹּא יוּכַל לִּרְאוֹת בְּעֵינֵי רְאִּיָּה חוּש ית,

which derives its nourishment and growth from the physical world which is itself from kelipas nogah, that conceals and hides the revelation of Hashem so that one cannot see Hashem’s revelation with his physical eyes.

We said before that we are being created and enlivened from Hashem’s light and power called Elokus. In addition, this Elokus (and us) are still included in our Source, in Hashem.

Even though its not possible for limited being to see Hashem, who is infinite, but it should be possible to “see” the Elokus that is creating us, at least on some level. In addition, we should be able to know that we are still bound up in our Source in Hashem, even if we cannot “see” Him directly. In Gan Eden, the soul does “see” the Elokus creating us, and does know that it is bound up in its Source.

So why is that in this world we cannot see Elokus at all and have no idea whatsoever that we are still bound up in our Source?

This is because the world we live in is from the level of kelipas nogah, which conceals the Light of Hashem, meaning, it dulls our perception and awareness of Hashem’s Existence and how He is creating us etc.

Since the body (and the animal soul) are nourished and grow from the physical things that are kelipas nogah, therefore they are also permeated with this type of kelipah.

(When the Jews received the Torah from Hashem, then needed to eat the Munn, the food from heaven, to purify their bodies from kelipas nogah, since the munn had no kelipa in it, to reach the complete awareness of Hashem in their Torah study.)

אֲזַי יִּתְעוֹרֵר בַּלֵּב תְּשוּקָּה ש יִּּהְיֶה קָּשוּר בְּהִּתְבּוֹנְנוּת זוֹ כָּּל הַיּוֹם וְלֹא יִּפָּּרֵד מַמָּּש כְּלָּל.

Upon considering and recognizing the truth of these facts, then one’s heart will be awakened in yearning to be bound up with this idea and bring it into his conscious awareness throughout the entire day, so that he should never be separated from it at all.

וְזֶהוּ קַבָּּלַת מַלְכוּת־שָּמַיִּם בְּפָּסוּק רִּאשוֹן²²;

This is the concept of “acceptance of the Sovereignty of Hashem who is in Heaven” in the first verse of Krias Shema.

In the Gemara (Brachos 13a) it says that the first parsha of Shema is about “accepting Hashem’s Sovereignty.” The simple meaning of this is that when we say that “Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One,” this means that since He is our one and only G-d, He is also our True King who we worship and serve with unconditional commitment. Even if a human king would tell us to do something against Hashem’s will, we would not listen to him, since Hashem is the One and only Supreme Being that His commands supersede any else’s.

However, the deeper meaning of this verse is that not only is Hashem our King because He is our Creator and Manager, but also because He is the only True Existence and the only Source of Life.

It is not just that Hashem is more important than people, and therefore His commands take precedence. There are no other beings that have any separate existence from Him to give us commands in the first place. They are all just like puppets in Hashem’s hands, whatever they do is only because Hashem is giving them that power for a certain reason known to Him.

(Even though people have free will to choose to do good or bad, they do not have the power to do good or harm anyone unless Hashem gives them that power. A person can only choose to try to do something good or bad to himself or others, but the actual result of his choice is not dependent on the person’s choice.)

This is the deeper meaning of “accepting Hashem’s Sovereignty” in Shema: To accept the idea that Hashem is the absolute only power in existence at all.

"וְאָּהַבְתָּּ" – ש יִּּהְיֶה "הָּ ויָּה אֱלֹקֶיךָּ" (וָּאֶתְחַנן ו, ה),

After the first verse of Krias Shema, it continues to say: “And you would love it if Hashem would reveal that He is your G-d,” i.e., your Life and Power, and that you are bound up with Him.

שֶיְּהֵא תָּמִּיד קָּשוּר בְּהִּתְבּוֹנְנוּת זו – בִּּיטּוּל הָּעוֹלָּמוֹת לְהַמְחַיֶּה וּמְהַוֶּוה אוֹתָּם.

Meaning, that you would love to always be bound up with this idea, that the worlds are nothing other than an extension of the One that is enlivening them and bringing them into existence.

רַק מִּפְּנֵי הֱיוֹת כִּּי גוּפוֹ הַגַּשְמִּי לֹא יוּכַל לְקַבֵּל בִּּיטּוּל אֲמִּתִּּי הַנַּ"ל,

However, since the physical body cannot handle this true awareness of how it is nothing other than its Source of life and existence as described above,

יִּגְמוֹר בְּדַעְתּוֹ בִּּקְרִּיאַת־שְמַע עִּנְיַן לִּימּוּד הַתּוֹרָּה בְּאָּמְרו "וְדִּבַּרְת בָּּם" (שם, ז).

therefore, during Krias Shema when he says, “And you shall speak of those words of Torah,” one should decide that he will actually learn Torah after he finishes praying.

דְּהַיְינו, שֶנַּפְשוֹ הָּאֱלֹקִּית בְּעָּסְקו בַּתּוֹרָּה נַעֲשֶה יִּחוּד אֲמִּתִּּי עִּם

This is because, when one learns Torah, his Divine soul becomes truly united with the Torah.

הַתּוֹרָּה.

וְ"אוֹרַיְיתָּא וְקוּדְשָּא בְּרִּיךְ הוּא כּוֹלָּּא חד"²³ מַמָּּש,

And because “the Torah and Hashem are one,” through this he becomes literally united with Hashem Himself,

כִּּי "אוֹרַיְיתָּא מֵחָּכְמָּה עִּילָּאָּה נָּפְקת"²⁴, וְנִּתְלַבְּשָּה בְּעִּנְיְנֵי זֶה הָּעוֹלָּם,

since, on the one hand, “the Torah is derived from the level of Hashem’s Chochma-Wisdom Above in the World of Atzilus,” and, on the other hand, it becomes invested in matters of this world, dealing with physical mitzvos that we can comprehend while in the body,

וּכְשֶאָּדָּם מַלְבִּּיש נַפְשוֹ הָּאֱלֹקִּית בְּעִּנְיְנֵי לִּימּוּד הַתּוֹרָּהְּ שֶבזֶה הָּעוֹלָּם, אֲזַי גם שֹרֶש נַפְשו לְמַעְלָּה מִּתְלַבֵּש גַּם כֵּן בַּתּוֹרָּה שֶלְּמַעְלָּה עַד רוּם הַמַּעֲלוֹת, וְנַעֲשה שָּם יִּחוּד גָּּמוּר.

therefore, when a person involves his Divine soul in the matters of Torah learning that relate to this world, this causes the root of his soul Above in the spiritual worlds to also become involved in the Torah as it exists Above, on the highest spiritual levels, and there, on that higher level of the soul and the higher level of the Torah, they completely merge.

In other words:

How does the Torah study accomplish uniting us with Hashem, that we should experience how we are nothing other than Him, just His Light and Power that is still included in Himself?

The answer is that the Torah has two opposite aspects. In its source it is Hashem’s Wisdom, the highest level of transparency to Him. But it descends to the lowest level, to discuss mitzvos performed in the physical world. We can learn the Torah in this world on a conscious level without becoming overwhelmed. But at the same time, the deeper parts of our soul, the subconscious hidden dimension of our Divine soul, can access the true source of the Torah as it exists as Hashem’s Wisdom Above, at the highest level of revealing Hashem’s Oneness. When that happens, the deepest part of our Divine soul does in fact perceive the true Oneness of Hashem as manifest in the Torah Above. This “trickles down” into our conscious dimension so that we should have some connection to Hashem’s True Oneness even in this world.

וְזֶהוּ "הַקָּּדוֹש בָּּרוּךְ־הוּא יוֹשֵב וְשוֹנֶה כְּנֶגְדּוֹ"²⁵ כַּנַּ"ל.

This is the meaning of (Yalkut Shimoni #1,035) “Hashem sits and learns Torah opposite the person learning Torah,” as explained above.

וְזֶהוּ "ה' צִּלְּךָּ" (תְּהִּלִּּים קכא, ה), פֵּירוּש, כְּמוֹ צֵל.

And this is the meaning of (Tehillim 121:5) “Hashem is your shadow,” meaning just like the shadow of a person reflects the shape of the person, Hashem reflects His Light corresponding to the person’s actions.

These two quotes are showing how when a person sits to learn Torah in this world, Hashem responds by bringing Himself down to the person. Hashem brings down the His Light in His Torah as it exists Above all the way to the person as he is in the physical world. Thus, be learning Torah in this world we also access the unlimited dimension of the Torah as it exists Above, where His Oneness is fully revealed.

וְהִּנֵּה כְּתִּיבַ(שְלח טו, מא): "אֲנִּי הֲוָּיָּה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲש ר הוֹצֵאתִּי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִּצְרַיִּם".

Now, it is written in the third parsha of Shema that we say in our prayers (from Bamidbar 15:41), “I am Hashem, your G-d, Who took you out of the land of Mitzrayim (Egypt).”

The idea of “Mitzrayim” (which is similar to the word for “limitations”) is not just physical slavery and limitations, but spiritual “slavery” and limitations of how the animal soul traps the Divine soul in physical temptations and tries to stop if from connecting to Hashem. Hashem is the one who frees us from both physical and spiritual slavery and captivity. (See the 47 chapter of Tanya for more on this.) th

פֵּירוּש: שֶלֹּא יֹאמַר הָּאָּדָּם בְּדֶרֶך שִּפְלוּת, האֵיךְ יַגִּּיעַ לְמַדְרֵגַת הַיִּּחוּדְּ בתוֹרָּה וּתְפִּלָּּה, מֵאַחַר שֶהוּא עֲדַיִּין אֵינוֹ סוּר מֵרָּע גָּּמוּר כוּ', וְהוּא עֲדַיִּין בִּּשְלֵימוּת אֶצְלו?

Meaning that one should not think, out of misplaced humility, “how will I attain such a level of unity with Hashem through Torah and prayer, since I myself am not yet completely detached from evil and selfish desires, and my selfish desires and tendencies are still fully active in me?”

זֹאת יָּש יב אֶל לִּבּו: שֶהַשֵּם הוּא הַמּוֹצִּיא אוֹתוֹ מֵאֶרֶץ מִּצְריִּם.

This is what he should take to heart and tell himself: “Hashem is the one who takes me out of my own personal Mitzrayim.”

פֵּירוּש: שֶהוּא מַבְדִּּיל וּמַפְרִּיש בְּנַפְשוֹ הַטּוֹב מִּן הָּרע, הַנֶּפֶש־אֱלֹקִּית מִּנֶּפֶש־הַבַּהֲמִּית כְּשֶהוּא עֲדַיִּין לֹא עָּשָּה רע בְּפוֹעַל מַמָּּש.

Meaning that Hashem separates the good within him from the bad, which is the Divine soul from the animal soul, as long as the person did not do actually do anything bad.

Even if a person’s animal soul has physical desires or even unholy desires, this does not stop the person’s Divine soul from uniting with Hashem. This is because Hashem “takes us out of Mitzrayim,” i.e., He takes out our Divine soul from the limitations and captivity of the animal soul.

However, this ability to become fully united with Hashem during prayer and Torah study is only when a person does not actually sin, he just has a desire for sin. Because the unholiness of the animal soul’s desires are not expressed in the body, the body remains pure enough to be a vehicle and a vessel for the expression of the Divine soul and its unity with Hashem.

This is the concept of the Beinoni, discussed at length in the first section of the Tanya. The Beinoni is someone who has unholy desires in his animal soul but does not act upon them. Instead, during prayer he awakens a love for Hashem and those unholy desires are temporarily “put to sleep.” Even after those unholy desires reawaken, he continues to ignore them, due to the connection to the love and fear of Hashem he experienced in prayer. This person will also be able to feel some of the Light of Hashem shining into him when he studies Torah (at least on some level).

But someone who actually sins will have a harder time experiencing a love for Hashem in prayer until he does Teshuva, (as mentioned in Tanya chapter 42), and a harder time feeling the Light of Hashem in the Torah study.

Now the Alter Rebbe adds that even someone who sins and does not do teshuva still creates a connection to Hashem through Torah study, even though he cannot feel it:

וַאֲפִּילוּ רָּשָּע גָּּמוּר,

And even someone who is completely wicked,

הוּא מַמְשִּיךְ בְּנַפְשוֹ הָּאֱלֹקִּית²⁶ בְּעָּסְקוֹ בַּתּוֹרָּה.

רַק שֶעָּלָּיו נֶאֱמַר (תְּהִּלִּּים נ, טז): "וְלָּרָּשָּע אָּמַר אֱלֹקִּים מַה לְּך לְסַפֵּר חּ וקָּּי",

he draws down Elokus into his Divine soul when he is involved in Torah study.

It is just that regarding him the verse states (Tehillim 50:16), “and to the wicked G-d said, ‘What gain do you have from talking of my statutes.’”

פֵּירוּש: שֶאֵין תּוֹעֶלֶת לְנַפְשו הָּאֱלֹקִּית, מִּפְּנֵי שֶעָּלָּיו נֶאֱמַר (תְּהִּלִּּים נ, יז): "וַתַּשְלֵךְ דְּבָּרַי אַחֲרֶיךָּ", שֶלֹּא יוּכַל לְהַמְשִּיך בְּתוֹךְ פְּנִּימִּיּוּתו.

This means that there is no revealed benefit for the Divine soul, since the verse states regarding him (ibid. 50:17), “and you throw my words behind your back,” simply meaning that he disregards Hashem’s words, but the deeper meaning is that he is unable to internalize Hashem’s words of Torah, as though the words go right over his head and fall behind his back instead of going inside of his head.

In other words: Any time a Jew does a mitzvah or learns Torah he creates a connection with Hashem in his Divine soul. But if he sins, then the unholiness of the sin blocks out the Light of Hashem from being felt in his Divine soul. If he wants to sin but holds himself back, then Hashem will not allow those unholy desires to stop him from feeling the Light of Hashem in prayer and Torah study, Hashem will “take him out of his personal Mitztrayim.”

וְדַי לַמֵּבִּין. :

And this should suffice for one who understands.

וְהִנֵּּה

בְּעִּנְיַן בִּּרְכוֹת²⁷ [שְמוֹנֶה־עֶשְרֵה] – "בָּרוך אתָּה הֲַׁ ויָּה",

Now, regarding the concept of the [eighteen] blessings of the Amida prayer which follows Krias Shema, which begin with the words “Blessed are You, Havaya (Hashem)…”

: פֵּירוּש The meaning is as follows:

"בָּרוךְַׁ" הוּא הַמְשָּכָּה וְרִּבּוּי ,

“בָּּרוּך-Blessed” refers to an expression of drawing down and increasing Hashem’s revelation,

שֶיִּּהְיֶה " הַָּׁו יָּ"ה", שֶהוּא בְּחִּינַת צִּמְצוּם וְהִּתְפַּשְּטוּת כוּ'

so that “Havaya,” which is Hashem’s Four-Letter Name that represents the entire fourstep process of drawing His Light into creation which is 1- contraction of His Light into a singular point, and then 2- expansion of that point of Light, then 3- drawing down that expansion of the point of Light, and then 4- allowing the recipient to fully receive this drawing down of Light,

– יִּהְיֶה בְּחִּינַת "אתָּהַׁ" – לְנוֹכַח, הִּתְגַּלּוּת כוּ'.

can be directly related to, so that we can refer to Him as “You,” in a revealed sense.

The Alter Rebbe analyzes the first three words of the Shemona Esrai, (which are also the first three words of all blessings):

1- “ בָּּרוּך-Blessed” in reference to Hashem means that Hashem is the Source of all blessings, and that all blessings flow down from Him. This word is related to the word ‘המבריך-one who bends down,’ like someone who takes a grape vine and bends it down into the ground to have it grow in a new location. In our context this means that the word “ בָּּרוּך” can also mean “drawn down” from a state of concealment to a state of revelation, i.e., that Hashem’s Light is drawn down and revealed to us. The word “ בָּּרוּך- Blessed” also connotes that something becomes greater, like someone who is “blessed” with an abundance of wealth, or many children etc. In our context this means that Hashem’s Light, as expressed in the name Havaya, becomes greater in terms of its revelation to us.

2- “אַתָּּה- are You" is in how we refer to Hashem in the second person, showing that this drawing dawn of Hashem’s Light becomes revealed to us directly.

3- “ הָּ ויָּ"הֲ -Havaya” refers to Hashem’s Four-Letter Name spelled with the same letters. This Name is so holy we do not pronounce it, and we do not even write it except when necessary. The four letters of this Name represent how Hashem draws down His Light to us through four stages of the Sefiros of Atzilus (known as 1-Chochma, 2-Bina, 3-Zeir Anpin, 4-Malchus) limiting the Light until can reach us.

Thus: “ בָּּרוּךְ אַתָּּה הָּ ויָּהֲ -Drawn down and directly revealed is Your Light Hashem, from Your Name Havaya, from Your Sefiros of Atzilus, until it reaches us down here directly.”

In other words, the idea of the eighteen blessings of Shemona Esrai is that some of His Light is actually able to come down and be revealed to us. What are asking for in Shemona Esrai is that His Light should be fully revealed to us. When Hashem helps us with what we need we come to recognize Him in our life. This is the goal of Shemona Esrai, to bring the awareness of Hashem into our mind and heart.

אַךְ לִּהְיוֹת כִּּי הַגּוּף הוּא הַמַּסְתִּּיר וּמַחְש יך, רַק לֶעָּתִּיד־לָּבֹא יִּהְיֶה הִּתְגַּלּוּת בָּּשָּר"²⁸, וְיִּהְיֶה בִּּבְחִּינַת בִּּיטּוּל.

אֲבָּל עַכְש יו צָּרִּיךְ לְהַרְאוֹת עַל כָּּל פָּּנִּים עִּנְיַן הַבִּּיטּוּל בְּחִּיצוֹנִּיּוּת, בִּּכְרִּיעָּה וְהִּשְתַּחֲוָּאות בָּּרֹאש, "הַכּוֹרֵע, כּוֹרֵעַ בְּבָּרוּךְ"²⁹.

אֱלֹקוּת

"וְרָּאו

כָּל

Now, being that the body is what conceals and obscures the Light of Hashem, and only in the Future Times will Elokus be fully revealed “so that all flesh will see” and will become nullified to Hashem thereby.

However, now we must at least show this nullification to Hashem in a superficial way, by bending and bowing the head, as the Gemara teaches, that “one who bows, does so at the word ‘בָּּרוּך.’”

As mentioned above, the word “ בָּּרוּך-Blessed” also means to bend down, thus an appropriate moment for us to bend down in submission to Hashem.

וְעִּנְיַן "רוֹפֵא חוֹלִּים", וְ"גוֹאֵל יִּשְרָּאֵל", וּ"מְבָּרֵךְ הַשָּּנִּים" הֵם כֵּלִּים לִּבְחִּינַת הַמְשָּכָּה וְהִּתְגַּלּוּת אֱלֹקוּת כוּ'.

And the idea of the blessings of Shmona Esrei, “He Who heals the sick,” and “He Who redeems Israel,” and “He Who blesses the years,” are vessels to receive the drawing down revelation of Elokus.

When Hashem helps us with health and livelihood etc. this shows us His presence in our lives. This is called “revelation of Elokus,” i.e., our ability to perceive Hashem.

וְהַכּוֹרֵעַ צָּרִּיךְ "ש יִּּרְאֶה אִיסָּר כְּנֶגֶד לִּבּוֹ"³⁰.

And it says in the Gemara (Brachos 28b): “one who bows during Shemona Esrai must make visible the vertebrae opposite the

heart at least the size of a small coin called an ‘issar.’”

Rashi explains that the when someone bows down, there appear bumps on ones back from the vertebrae. When bowing during Shemona Esrai, a person should bend his back so that two “bumps” would theoretically appear on his back (if his shirt would be off, but one is required to wear a shirt during Shemona Esrai), and between these two bumps there is a space the size of small coin called an issar.³¹

פֵּירוּש: עִּיקַּר הַמְשָּכָּה יִּהְיֶה בַּמּוֹח, עַד ש יִּּתְפַּשֵּט גַּם כֵּן בְּלִּבּו אֲפִּילּוּ מְעַט,

This means that the main process of drawing down an awareness of Hashem in Shemona Esrai is into his brain, which then must extend into his heart, even slightly,

הַיְינוּ בְּחִּינַת אִּיסָּּר³², שֶהוּא בְּחִּינַת חֵפֶץ.

which is the idea of an ‘אִּיסָּּר-issar,’ which represents the desire for connecting to Hashem as it exists in the mind, before it is emotionally felt.

When a person wants something, this desire happens in a few stages. First, he learns about something being good in general. Then he realizes that this is something that he should personally want. Then he comes to have an emotional attachment to that that thing.

When a person comes to an awareness of Hashem in Shemona Esrai, he mainly experiences this in his mind. He needs to bring that awareness into his heart, so that he translates that awareness of Hashem’s presence in his life into a desire to connect to Hashem more through Torah and mitzvos. Even if he cannot bring himself to an emotional feeling of desire for connection to Hashem, he can at least come to an intellectual level of desire, to realize that this is what he should really want.

This is referred to an “‘אִּיסָּּר-issar,’ since the word ‘אִּיסָּּר’ is the same letters as אוסר י', tying down the letter י'. The י' represents Chochma, the total submission and giving yourself over to Hashem, where you feel like a singular point, like a י' before Hashem. ‘אוסר י'-to tie down the י'’ means to bring that awareness of Hashem and submission before Him into the heart, that a person should want to

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connect with Hashem throughout the day after Shemona Esrai. This is why he needs to show an איסר opposite his heart, meaning he need to tie down the י' to his heart, at least on some level.

(תְּהִּלִּּים קמח, יג): "הוֹדוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ וְשָּמָּיִּם",

(כדכתיב)

[וכְתִּיב]³³

And it is written (Tehillim 148:13), “His Splendor is exalted above the earth and the heavens,”

אֲפִּילּוּ בִּּבְחִּינַת זִּיו וְהִּתְפַּשְּטוּת הַחַיּוּת הַמְלוּבָּּש תּוֹךְ כָּּל עָּלְמִּין.

meaning, that even only the level of the ray and radiance of lifeforce of Elokus that becomes invested within the worlds is still “exalted” above their perception, since (outside of Gan Eden) the creations have no direct perception of it whatsoever.

After Shemona Esrai, a person should take to heart:

On the one hand, he cannot have any direct perception of Elokus in this physical world, not even the Elokus that creates the physical world.

On the other hand, it is here in this physical world that he can perform mitzvos, which connect him to Hashem on a deeper level than the Light of Elokus that shines in Gan Eden.

[אֲבָּל] (ו)תַכְלִּית³⁴ "לִּהְיוֹת לוֹ דִּּירָּה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִּים"³⁵.

הַכַּוָּּונָּה –

However, even though he cannot perceive even the Elokus invested in creation, the ultimate purpose of creation is to make for Hashem a dwelling in the lowest world through fulfilling mitzvos, which can only be done in this world.

בְּמַחֲשָּבָּה סוֹפָּן

וְ"סוֹף תְּחִּלָּּה"³⁶, בִּּתְחִּלָּּתָּן"³⁷,

מַעֲשֶה

"נָּעוּץ

And it we say in the Shabbos evening prayers: “the final deed of the mitzvos was the original intention” of Hashem behind creation, and it says in Sefer Yetzirah (1:7) “the end deed of mitzvos is bound up in the

beginning of Hashem’s thought to create the world.”

וְלָּכֵן אָּמְרוּ רַזַ"לָּ(חֲגִּיגה יב, א): "אֶרֶץ נִּבְרֵאת תְּחִּלָּּה כוּ'". :

Therefore, our Sages say (Chagigah 12a) that “the earth was created first before the heavens.”

Even thought the heavens were actually created before the earth, but the desire to create the earth came before Hashem’s desire to create the heavens, since the His Ultimate Desire to have a “dwelling place” on earth through mitzvos that we do.

³ (לְבוּש ין . . בַּיָּמִּים: רְאהַ גם לְקַמן עה, ד. עט, ב. פב, א רֵיש דִּּבּוּר הַמַּתְחִּיל "וְעָּשִּיתָּ בִּגְדֵי קוֹדֶש". לִּקּוּטֵי תוֹרָּה שְלח נא ב וָּאֵילָּך. יום הַכִּּפּוּרִּים סט, א. וּבְכַמהֹ מְקוֹמות .)

⁴ ( וּרְאהָּ שם קכט, א).

⁵ (תַּרְגּוּם: בְּאוֹתָּם יָּמִּים עֶלְיוֹנִּים כוּ', אוֹי לוֹ לְאוֹתו אִּיש שֶגּוֹרֵע יָּמָּיו לְמַעְלָּה, שֶכַּאֲשֶר רוֹצִּים לְהַלְבִּּיש אוֹתו בְּאוֹתָּם יָּמִּים, הַיָּּמִּים שֶפָּּגַם חֲסֵרִּים מֵאוֹתו לְבוּש). The word “Elokus” requires explanation. Commonly translated as “Godliness” or “Divinity” or “the Divine,” its true meaning is different from any English word. The words above used to translate Elokus, express that Elokus means something connected to Hashem that represents Him. But the idea of Elokus is not that it is a creation of Hashem that represents Him, like an angel that acts as a representative of Hashem in terms of the message it gives over. Rather, Elokus is the light and power of Hashem, it is bound up with Hashem and has no separate existence other than Hashem, it has no existence outside of the context of Hashem. The example for this is a person’s soul powers relative to the essence of the soul. The soul itself is a single indivisible spiritual entity. It manifests itself through soul 6 ⁷ ( נוֹסַף מִּכְּתַב יד 775) . ⁸ [בְּהַחַיּוּת: – בִּּכְתב יָּד 775: בִּּהְיוֹת]. ⁹ ( כַּנִּּזְכר לְקַמ ן). ¹⁰ ( מְגִּילה לא, א). ¹¹ ( בְּרָּכות יז, א.) ¹² In the physical sense, some explain this to mean as follows: The brain produces the hormone, the chemical message, that is sent to the part of the body that actually produces the seed. In the brain itself there is only the “message” about producing seed, which becomes actual seed only when this message travels all the way down the body to the organ that produces the substance of the seed. ¹³ ( "לַחְמם של מַלְאָּכִּים". רַשִּ" י). ¹⁴ ( רְאהָּ יוֹמא עה, ב. וּרְאה לִּקּוּטֵי שִּיחוֹת חֵלֶק לו עַמּוּד 177 הֶעָּרה 37.) ¹⁵ ( יוֹמא ד, א: " מֹשה עָּלה בֶּעָּנן וְנִּתְכַּסה בֶּעָּנן".) ¹⁶ ("וְלָּא בְחָּכְמָּה יְדִּיעָּא"). ¹⁷ ראה ד"ה וטהר לבנו עזר"ת ¹⁸ ( כְּנָּפַים). ¹⁹ ( בְּרָּכות יג, ב). ²⁰ ( עורֶ של נָּּחָּש. רְאהֵ תִּּקּוּניַ זֹהרּ תִּּקּון כאַּ דף מח, ב.)

²¹ The meaning of the “skin of the snake”: The original cause of sin in the world was the first “snake” that convinced Chavah to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad. This “snake” thus represents unholiness in general. Now, even though the snake itself was unholy and brought about death etc., but when the snake dies, its skin can be used for clothing. In fact, according to one Midrash, the clothing that Hashem made for Adam and Chavah after the sin was made from the skin of the snake itself (see Targum Yonasan on Bereishis 3:21). This represents that in ‘kelipa-unholiness’ there are two aspects, the is the “body of the snake,” that is completely unholy, referred to as the “the 3 completely unholy kelipos,” and there is the “the skin of the snake,” referred to as “kelipas nogah,” that can be used for holiness, once is it separated from the completely unholy kelipos. The physical body of a Jew is called “the skin of the snake” since it is from “kelipas nogah” that can be used for holiness. However, if it is not used for holiness then it conceals holiness, since it is kelipas nogah, which is also a type of kelipa, a type of concealment on Hashem’s Light. Because the body is from kelipas nogah, ‘the skin of the snake,’ it automatically conceals Hashem’s Light to a certain extent. Because of this (and the animal soul which is also from kelipas noga) we are not automatically aware of the Elokus that is creating and enlivening us, and how we are always bound up with our Source of Life, Hashem. ראה ד"ה ויעש ה' כתנות עור בספר החקירה להצ"צ

²² ( בְּרָּכות יג, א).

²³ ( נִּסְמן לְקַמן נז, ג) .

²⁴ ( זֹהר חֵלֶק ב יִּתְרו פה, א. וּרְאהָּ שם קכא, ב).

²⁵ ( רְאהּ תָּּנָּא דְבֵי אֵלִּיָּּהו רַבה רֵיש פֶּרֶק יח. יַלְקוטִּ שִּמְעוֹניָּ אֵיכהֶ רֶמז תתרלה).

²⁶ ( רְאהֵּ פַּרְדסַ שַערֹ הַנְּשָּמותֹ סוףֶ פֶּרק יא).

²⁷ [כַּנִּּרְאֶהֵ קָּאי אַשְמוֹנֶה־עֶשְרֵה – וְאוּלַי צָּרִּיךְ לִּהְיוֹת: " ח"י בְּרָּכוֹת" – וּבָּא בְּהֶמְשֵךְ לִּקְרִּיאַת־שְמַע, דֶּבִּּיאֵר עַד עַתָּּה. – הֶעָּרַת כְּבוֹד קְדוּשַּת אַדְמו"ר. בִּּכְתַב יָּד 2088: בִּּרְכוֹת שְמוֹנֶה־עֶשְרֵה.]

²⁸ (יְשַעְיָּה מ, ה: "וְנִּגְלָּה כְּבוֹד ה' וְרָּאו כָּל בָּּש ר יַחְדָּּו כִּּי פִּּי ה' דִּּבֵּר") .

²⁹ ( בְּרָּכו ת יב, א).

³⁰ ( בְּרָּכות כח, ב. רְאהַ גםֵ לִּקּוּטיָּ תּוֹרהֹ מַטּות פו, ג.) An issar is a coin used in the times of the Gemara, worth 8 perutos, which is silver in the weight of 4 barley grains (see שו"ת צ"צ יו"ד סי' רכג). It is not clear exactly what size the coin itself was, but if it weighed the amount of 4 barely grains of silver it must be relatively small in total area. ³² ( וְעַיֵּּין מַה ש נתְבָּּאֵּר לְקַמן ( יְחי מו, ד – מז, א) בְּפֵּירוּש "אוֹסְרי לַגּ פן"). ³³ [כְּדִּכְתִּיב: צָּרִּיךְ לִּהְיוֹת: וּכְתִּיב.] ³⁴ [וְתַכְלִּית: צָּרִּיךְ לִּהְיוֹת: אֲבָּל תַּכְלִּית – הַגָּּהַת כְּבוֹד קְדוּשַּת אַדְמו" ר מוֹהַרַש"ב נִּשְמָּתוֹ־עֵדֶן]. ³⁵ (תַּנְחוּמָּא נָּשֹא טז) . ³⁶ ( פִּּיּוטָּ "לְכהִּ דוֹדי" .) ³⁷ ( סֵפרָּ יְצִּירהֶ פֶּרק אָּ מִּשְנה ז).