Gimel This can be connected with that which the Alter Rebbe explains in (the second Maamor in) Likkutei Torah on our Parsha regarding the Possuk [from the Haftorah] יֹאמַר ה׳ אִם יִהְּיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶּם כַשָנִים לְּכוּ נָא וְּנִוָּכְּחָה כַשֶּלֶּג יַלְּבִינוּ אִם יַאְּדִימוּ כַתוֹלָע כַצֶּמֶּר יִהְּיוּּ “Come now, let us reason with each other, says HaShem; if your sins prove to be like crimson, they will become white as snow; if they prove to be as red as [a] crimson dye [worm], they shall become as [clean white] wool.”
‘White as snow’ symbolises that which comes about as a result of drawing down [and unveiling] the thirteen attributes of mercy [from above] about which [the Possuk] states רוָּ חִ תְּלַגכִ וּשֵהּיְּתִב לְּב מִיןוֹי יקתִ וְּעַ “The Atik Yomin sat; His clothing was as white as snow”. In other words the snow acts as a clothing whereas the כַצֶּמֶּר יִהְּיוּ “Shall become as [white] wool” is a loftier level as the Possuk states וּשְּׂ עַר רֵאשֵהּ כַ עֲמַר נְּקֵא “the hair of His head was like clean wool”, because the hair of his head is a parable of [something which is connected to] the essence [of HaShem] and more loftier than ‘clothing’.
This parallels the Supernal attribute of ‘Chessed’ which is loftier that the thirteen attributes of mercy. This is as it is written in the Sefer ‘Eitz Chaim’ that the hair of the head is analogous to the ‘Hamshochos’ from the internal state of the Supernal Chessed directly from the ‘Ein Sof’ where there is absolutely no integration of any judgement at all. Whereas - the state of ‘white as snow’ there is still some judgement integrated therein.
It can be said that the model of these two concepts of ‘snow’ and ‘wool’ can also be applied in a person’s Avodas HaShem. For ‘snow’ is the concept of the Avodah of the [lower parts of the Neshomoh] ‘Nefesh’, ‘Ruach’ and ‘Neshomoh’, whereas ‘wool’ is the concept of the Avodah of the [upper parts of the Neshomoh] ‘Chaya’ and ‘Yechidah’.
