During those 24 years, how was able to bring down Hashem’s Light into the physical world, which is the inner meaning of the command of “Lech Lecha”? If the power to bring down those Lights depended on cutting away the Kelipa and receiving an additional revelation from Kesser, then seemingly this can only happen after the Bris Milah, when the Kelipa is removed and the physical mitzvah of Milah reveals in the level of Kesser?
However, this will be understood based on explaining the following: It says (Kidushin 82a), “Avraham fulfilled the entire Torah before it was given,” but how did he put on tefillin, in which the Exodus is mentioned, when there had not yet been the exile in Mitzraim?
In truth, in the Torah and Mitzvos there is an inner spiritual dimension and an outer physical dimension, and Avraham’s fulfillment of mitzvos was in the inner spiritual dimension.
When “Hashem said” the command of Lech Lecha, this meant a revelation and drawing-down of Hashem’s Infinite Light, the Lofty Level of Kesser, from Above-to-below, which would be revealed and expressed in the inner spiritual dimension of reality.
During the 24 years after Hashem commanded “Lech Lech,” Avram was able to reveal Hashem’s Light into the World of Atzilus, including into Malchus of Atzilus. Before Avram was commanded “Lech Lecha,” he was connected to the Lofty Wisdom that is essentially higher than Atzilus, and is only accessible in the level of Chochma of Atzilus. After he was told “Lech Lecha” he was able to draw down that Lofty Wisdom into Bina, Ze’eir Anpin, and Malchus of Atzilus. Atzilus is called the “Inner Dimension” of our reality.
However, in order that this revelation of Hashem be expressed also in the outer and physical dimension of our reality, that it should be invested in a physical object, such as on actual parchment, this cannot come by way of ordinary spiritual descent through the Levels of the Orders of Worlds, from Kesser to Malchus.
Only through the fact that “they embittered their lives... with much hard work” was it possible to affect a revelation of Hashem’s Light from the level above Hishtalshelus-Spritual Order of Worlds.
For only then can there be a revelation in the physical dimension, which is lower than the spiritual levels of Hishtalshelus, because there above Hishtalshelus, the spiritual which is above physical, and the physical which is below the spiritual are equal, since even the greatest Lofty Chochma-Wisdom of Atzilus is considered like the level of basic physical action, as in the verse, “Compared to You, Hashem, all the levels of Chochma-Wisdom are like things You made in the realm of physical action.” (Tehillim 104:24)
There are three “realms”:
- The physical realm, that is lower than the spiritual levels of Hishtalshelus, the Chainlike Order of Spiritual Worlds.
- The spiritual realm, that includes the levels Hishtalshelus.
- The “Infinite” realm, that is beyond the levels of Hishtalshelus.
In this “third realm,” the physical and spiritual are equal. Therefore, from this level, Hashem’s Light is able to descend even into the physical realm, which is lower than the spiritual levels of Hishtaleshelus.
This is the meaning of the statement (see Eitz Chayim 1:4), “The ‘circles’ of Arich Anpin surround the ‘feet’ of Asiya.”
In Kabbalah, it explains that Hashem’s Light and Power come into the worlds in two ways called ‘circles’ and ‘lines.’ ‘Circles’ refers to an encompassing and transcendent Light that is not limited an orderly structure, similar to how a circle has no beginning or end. ‘Lines’ refers to a Light that is limited and defined to a certain structure or system, where there must be an orderly progression of one thing coming before the next, like a line.
The analogy for this is the soul powers in a person: The subconscious soul powers, like the subconscious potential for wisdom and kindness etc., are like ‘circles,’ they don’t exist in a limited structured manner like a line, rather as undefined and unlimited potential for all types of wisdom or kindness. The conscious soul powers are like line, they work in a systematic orderly progression; like the orderly progression of a how an idea is understood or how a feeling is developed.
Another reason that these subconscious soul powers are called ‘circles’ is because they encompass in themselves and affect whatever is revealed from them on a conscious level, as if the subconscious soul power is a circle encompassing the line of conscious knowledge or emotion.
Similarly, Hashem’s Light comes down in these two modes of ‘circles’ and ‘lines.’ The levels that precede Atzilus, which are generally known as Kesser, encompass the levels of the Four Worlds of Atzilus, Beriah,
