In Parshas Lech Lecha, the Torah starts by describing Avraham’s journey from Charan to the Land of Kenaan, and ends by describing the commandment of Bris Milah. The Torah seems to indicate that Avraham’s “journey” started, at least on some level, from the time he was commanded to leave his homeland, and that this journey concluded, on some level, with the mitzvah of Bris Milah.
The Alter Rebbe will explain that the mystical level of Avraham was the Lofty Hidden Intellect, an extremely lofty level of Hashem’s Wisdom. Avraham’s journey was to take this lofty level, and bring it down into this world.
This took many stages: The first stage was the command of “Lech Lecha,” when Hashem told him that this Wisdom must travel down from its lofty place. At that point, Avraham was able to bring down this Wisdom in the spiritual levels, called Atzilus, and to bring people spiritually closer to Hashem. However, the end of this journey is only when he is given the mitzvah of Bris Milah. With that mitzvah, he is able to bring down this Wisdom in the very physicality of this world, as precursor for the mitzvos that the Jew would receive by the Giving of the Torah.
Now that he completed his journey from Above to below, in bringing down this Wisdom all the way to the physical world, he starts the second part of his journey: To elevate the “Sparks of Holiness” trapped in physicality and bring them back up to their source in holiness, a journey from below to Above.
Chapter 1 (א)
We need to understand the idea of the command of Hashem to Avram “Lech Lecha-go travel for your own good,” which he fulfilled when “Vayelech lemasav-he went on his journeys,” in the plural form, implying two types of “journeys,” (inyan "Lech Lecha", "Vayelech lemasav"). One journey is the process of spiritual elevation “mimatah lemaaloh-from below to Above,” and the second journey is that of Hashem’s revelation “mimaaloh lematoh-from Above to below.”
We further need to understand how the elevation of Avram from “below to Above” was from connecting to Hashem on the level of “LeHashem hanireh eilav-Hashem as He revealed Himself to Avram,” to a deeper level of connection to Hashem, on the level of “LeHashem stam-Hashem as He is by Himself.”
The Alter Rebbe will start by explaining the journey “from Above to below;” the journey of the descent of the spiritual level of Avram in the highest spiritual realm down to the physical world.
Much of the commentary on this maamar is based on the Mittler Rebbe’s explanation of the maamar, printed in Toras Chaim for Bereishis, page 159-181. See there for more explanation.
The Meaning of Avram and Avraham
To understand this, the Alter Rebbe will first explain the idea of “Avram,” which was his original name, as opposed to “Avraham,” which is the name Hashem gave to him after the Bris Milah.
“Avram” refers to the level of “Intellect that is concealed from all conception” – “Av-Ram.” Av refers to Chochma, the height of intellect, and Ram meaning exalted beyond our grasp. Thus, “Avram” refers to a level of intellect that is so exalted that it is concealed and beyond our grasp.
The Mittler Rebbe explains in Toras Chaim that this “Intellect that is concealed from all conception” is referring not only to the level of Chochma-Wisdom of Atzilus, but even higher to the level of Chochma-Wisdom of Arich Anpin, which is the source of Chochma of Atzilus. In other words, this Lofty Wisdom is not only hidden from the creations, it’s also hidden from the Sefiros of Atzilus. This lofty level is so elevated that it contains the potential to reveal the Infinite Light of Hashem that transcends all worlds.
Even though Avram himself was on the level of Chochma of Atzilus, nonetheless, Hashem told him that he has the power to draw down and reveal even his source at the level of Chochma of Arich Apin, which is “intellect that is concealed from all conception.”
And this level of Av-ram must be drawn down in a revealed way. This means that there should be a chain-like (hierarchal) descent, from the level of “Wise but not with a perceivable wisdom,” to be drawn down from one level to the next, until it becomes revealed in the final level, of Malchus, the source of creation of the finite worlds.
And the ultimate purpose of all this is that it be revealed in the lower worlds of Beriya, Yetzira and Asiya, in the Higher and Lower Gan Eden, and become the delight of the creations, that they be able to receive this pleasurable revelation of Hashem’s Exalted Wisdom.
And this is the idea that “Chesed [Kindness] of Hashem is revealed when the opening of the ‘conduit’ is uncovered.”
In the Zohar (III 142a) it describes how Avraham Avinu was only called “complete” after he had the bris milah. Before the bris, he wasn’t able to reveal the Inner Light of Hashem into this world. This Inner Light is referred to as “Chesed-Kindness,” since the ultimate kindness is when Hashem’s Light shines deeply and powerfully. The place in the body where the bris is performed is called “the opening of the conduit.” When that part of the body becomes revealed through the bris milah, this removes a spiritual covering that was blocking out Hashem’s Light from shining into the body. After Avraham’s bris, when the “opening of the conduit” was uncovered, the Light of Hashem, referred to as Hashem’s Kindness, was able to shine directly into him.
This affected him physically and spiritually. Physically, he was able to bring down the soul of Yitzchok into this world. Spiritually, he was able to bring down Hashem’s Kindness and Light into the level of Malchus of Atzilus, which is referred to as “the opening of the tent.”
This is in order that the flow of Light from Chochma be revealed in a manner of connection to the lower level, Malchus, called ‘the opening of the tent,’
This process is called “and he (Avraham) was sitting ‘at the opening of the tent’, etc.”
Malchus of Atzilus is called “the opening of the tent” since it acts as the “gateway” between the Divine Level of Atzilus and the created worlds. Through this level of Malchus, Hashem’s power and Light comes into the worlds and the creations.
Once Hashem’s Light was fully shining in Avraham, he could bring that Light into Malchus. This is called “sitting at the opening of the tent,” i.e., bringing down the Light and Kindness of Hashem into Malchus.
However, this revelation becomes manifest by way of contractions and concealment. This idea is symbolized by the “darkness of Yitzchok,” as in the pasuk, “there was evening, and there was morning, Day One.”
The attribute of Gevurah-Limitation/Concealment is associated with Yitzchok. This attribute is needed in order to bring about greater revelation. We see this in the first day of Creation, that first there had to be night, darkness, before there could be day, light. So too, in order for the great Kindness and Light of Hashem to come fully into Malchus and into the world, there had to a be process of limiting and condensing that Light to be able to descend into the limitations of creation.
This process is in order to create something with an ego, so that there will be “Day” i.e., Light and revelation, of “One,” meaning drawing down the Oneness of Hashem into the creations, so that there should be a created being with an ego that should willingly humble himself to Hashem, and reunite himself in Hashem’s Oneness.
Thus, the created being with an ego should feel his own existence and nonetheless choose to humble himself to Hashem.
Bringing this revelation of Hashem into the created world and to physical people requires the Light to descend greatly. It has to come down to the level of people who feel separate from Hashem. Nonetheless, through this something very great is accomplished. Then people can choose to humble themselves to Hashem, and this process give Hashem great satisfaction.
In order for a Light to descend very low, it must come from a very high place. Like only a very bright light can be seen miles away. Thus, Avraham’s ability to bring Hashem’s Light into Malchus and into the creations who have ego, shows on the fact that he received a tremendously powerful and lofty Light. This tremendously powerful Light came to him because of the bris milah.
Now, for this revelation to occur requires the mitzvah of Milah to remove the “foreskin” covering. That is, to remove the Kelipas Noga that surrounds Kedusha.
Just as the physical body has a covering that encompasses the “opening of the conduit,” so too, there is a spiritual covering that surrounds the spiritual conduit of the flow of holiness into the world at large and into the person in particular. This spiritual covering is called “Kelipas Noga.” This means literally “a shell that is lit up.” Meaning, it allows some light to go through the shell, so that it appears somewhat illuminated. This refers to a level of unholiness that allows some Light of Hashem to shine through it, but blocks a certain amount of the Light. In Tanya chapter seven this is explained at length. It refers to physical things permissible. For example, kosher food. When a person eats it with the intention to use the strength derived from it to serve Hashem, he allows Hashem’s Light to shine through it. However, if he only eats it for physical enjoyment, then it blocks out Hashem’s Light, which becomes trapped in that food until he actually uses the energy from the food for something holy. The physical desire in the food is “kelipas noga,” it is a shell blocking off the Light of Hashem, but can be easily removed so that Light of Hashem can shine through the food.
The physical removal of the foreskin corresponds to the spiritual removal of kelipas noga. This must take place in order that it not have any ability to siphon off energy from Kedusha. This Kelipas Noga wants to take life-force from holiness for itself. Just like the Yetzer Hara wants the person to eat for the sake of physical enjoyment instead of sake of serving Hashem. The Yetzer Hara wants this so that he will get stronger. So too, the Kelipas Noga in general wants to take the life-force from holiness for itself.
For it is impossible to draw down any revelation so long as the Kelipas Noga is there, except for a revelation of Holiness corresponding to the amount of life-force that Kelipas Noga normally receives.
Back to the food analogy: During the weekday, a person should only eat as much as he needs to be healthy, as opposed to Shabbos when he is supposed to have a lavish meal. This is because during the week there is Kelipas Noga that wants to take life-force from the enjoyment the person has in eating. Whereas, on Shabbos, the Kelipas Noga is removed due to the “elevation of the worlds,” therefore, eating lavishly on Shabbos does not give additional life-force to Kelipas Noga. If a person would eat the same lavish Shabbos meal during the week, then he would give additional life-force to Kelipas Noga, beyond what is necessary for the person to eat in order to live.
Therefore, it is written following the command of Milah, “For you will be the father of many nations.” (Bereishis 17:5) Seemingly, it is not understood, what these nations have to do with this mitzvah of Milah?
However, the connection is, that the power to refine “the nations” comes from this revelation associated with Milah.
For, “What are Tzaddikim likened to before the Shechina [Divine Presence]? Like a smaller flame before a much larger torch.” (Pesachim 8a) Meaning, they become included in the Shechina just like the smaller flames become included and nullified in the torch.”
When holy people, Tzadikim, come close to Hashem, they reunite with and become absorbed in His Divine Presence. This is similar to how a large fire draws into itself a small fire.
Similarly, when the “sparks of holiness” are exposed to a great revelation of Hashem’s Holiness, they become reunited and absorbed in the His Divine Presence. This great revelation (large fire of Holiness) is accomplished through Bris Milah.
And the Sages said, “When they (the Jewish People) were exiled to Edom, the Shechina went with them.” (Pesachim 87b) Since, “they were not exiled except in order to add converts to them.”
This teaching cannot be understood literally to refer to non-Jewish people who convert to Judaism. According to the Torah, one may not try to convince a non-Jew to convert, and even if the non-Jew says he wants to convert we don’t accept him/her unless they ask repeatedly, and fulfill many conditions. Therefore, the small number of non-Jews who end up converting doesn’t justify the entire exile. We must say that these “converts” are referring mainly to the sparks of holiness hidden in this physical world. These sparks are trapped everywhere in the world, and by Jews going to different places and using the things of each place to serve Hashem, they “convert” these sparks. This means that they convert the sparks from being dominated by Kelipas Noga into the realm of Holiness.
This [adding converts] refers to the idea of extracting the sparks of Holiness hidden in Kelipas Noga, in foods and drinks, and other permissible physical objects, which become elevated and absorbed into Holiness due to the revelation of the Shechina. For, through this revelation they become included [in Holiness] like a small flame before a large torch.
This is the idea of this Parsha (Torah Portion): “Hashem said to Avram,” that the level of “Av Ram-Exalted Wisdom” should come down and be revealed in order to repair and refine the world. For, until Avram the world was in a state of “Sheviras HaKeilim” (Chaos), as we see from the generation of the Great Flood, etc.
Tohu and Tikkun
The term “Sheviras HaKeilim” literally means “Breakdown of the System” of the World of Tohu. In the footnotes we bring a lengthy explanation of this concept.
To explain this concept, we need a brief review of the idea that Hashem creates everything using His “Oros-Light” and “Keilim-Keilim:” The term “Light” refers to the revelation of Hashem, which reveals Hashem’s limitlessness, how Hashem is beyond the limitations of time, space, spiritual levels, and any possible definition.
The word “Keilim” literally means “vessels,” “garments,” or “instruments.” In this context, it refers to Hashem’s ability to contain His limitless revelation in specific parameters and attributes, such as wisdom and kindness. These vessels are then able to be a source for the creation of limited creations. They also become the ways through which Hashem interacts with His creations. Thus, when His Light becomes invested in the Keilim and expressed through them, the creations can receive His Light in a manner that they can contain, thus enabling then to receive their lifeforce from Hashem and interact with Him.
The analogy for this process is as follows: The soul is a spiritual entity that cannot be divided into parts. It is one simple essence. When it gives life to the body, it expresses itself differently in each part of the body; the power to see is expressed in the eye; the power to hear is expressed in the ear, etc. Thus, the simple, indivisible life power of the soul becomes limited by being “invested” in the organs of the body. This lifeforce takes on the property and is expressed differently according to the nature of each organ. Similarly, Hashem’s simple, infinite and indivisible Light becomes invested and expressed through the Keilim.
Now, when Hashem decided to create the world using His “Light” and “Keilim,” He first created a system of Keilim called “Tohu,” where each vessel strove to be infinite, just like the Light is infinite. The attribute of Kindness wanted to be infinite, etc. In short: Tohu is a level where Hashem’s Light is unlimited, and is manifest in 10 aspects, Sefiros, Each Sefira is also unlimited. Because these Sefiros are “unlimited” they leave no room for each other and therefore cannot co-exist. This resulted in a total breakdown of that system.
From that original chaotic breakdown comes the chaos of our world. This chaos was most pronounced in the chaotic lifestyle of people before the Great Flood, and the chaotic destruction of (almost all of) humanity in the Great Flood; and in subsequent chaotic events, such as the Great Dispersion of humanity following the Tower of Bavel fiasco.
But from Avram begins the World of Tikkun. Tikkun means to fix up or to establish. Since the chaos in our physical world is a result of the chaotic breakdown of Tohu, to correct that chaos here we need to fix what caused the original chaos in Tohu.
In Tohu the chaos was caused by a lack of integration between the Sefiros, since each Sefira wanted to be infinite. To correct this, we need to introduce an element of “putting yourself aside” to see how all the different aspects come from the same Hashem, and therefore must be able to integrate with each other.
