According to the Gaon, the objective of the book's author was to convey in writing how the things of our universe came into existence.
Seder Hishtalshelus: Lit. the chain of events in the evolution process of the spiritual cosmos. The order of descent and contraction of Hashem’s infinite Divine light and energy by way of a chain where each level in this chain is connected to the level above as well as the level below like a link in a chain as the infinite Divine light filters through levels and worlds in a gradual orderly fashion from the infinite supernal Divine light above contracting and descending down from one level to the next level through the ten supernal Sefiros in each of the four groups of spiritual worlds thus transforming the light from an all-powerful infinite light that is far too intense for any living being to experience down to a contracted light that can then create sustain and vitalise all the worlds and beings and bring our finite world and its inhabitants into existence and continue to vitalise all the worlds and all that they contain. The Seder Hishtalshelus is primarily divided into four spiritual worlds, the worlds of 'Atzilus' (emanation) 'Briyah' (creation) 'Yetzirah' (formation) and 'Asiyah' (action). These four groups of spiritual worlds generally fall into two general categories, 'Atzilus' in which the supernal Sefiros are all completely self-nullified to their source in the infinite light of the 'Ein Sof', and then in the other category are the other three spiritual worlds ‘Briyah’ ‘Yetzirah’ and ‘Asiyah’ where both spiritual and physical created beings exist as presumed independent entities and are seemingly defined as isolated existences that are aware of their own presence, in each of the three worlds in this category according to that particular world, in each of the four groups of spiritual worlds there are ten Sefiros which are: Chochmah - wisdom, Binah - understanding, Daas - knowledge, Chessed - kindness, Gevurah - strength, Tiferes - beauty, Netzach - victory, Hod - splendour, Yesod - foundation, Malchus - kingship. The supernal Sefirah of Malchus is positioned below the other Sefiros so that it can receive from all those that are above it. It then becomes the Kesser (Crown) to the world below it as it becomes the giver of the light which it had received from the other Sefiros above it.
Revelation: And Divine extension from above to below.
States: אֲשֶׁר יָרַד עָלָיו הֲוָיָ' בָאֵש "Because Hashem had descended upon the mountain in fire"), the result of which being that the 'Yeshus' of the world was consumed, thus causing the 'Bittul' and annihilation to G-dliness.
(In other words, fire represents revelation from above to below, whereas smoke alludes to an ascent of the worlds from below to above. Which is why even after their ascent some debris remains in the form of earth particles and impurities, as found in actual smoke.)
This is the reason why at 'Matan Torah' there was smoke that came from the inorganic as well, as mentioned earlier that Mount Sinai was a rocky mountain. Since the purpose of 'Matan Torah' was to elevate every aspect of 'Seder Hishtalshelus', this elevation must start from the very lowest level, which is the inorganic [rocky mountain].
Analogy of the Lever
By way of analogy, a ‘lever’, which is a tool that can be used to pry up horizontal timber logs being first laid loose one above the other to form the walls of a building, then by using its leverage raises the very lowest beam from below. All the beams above the lowest beam will inevitably also be elevated. Whereas by contrast, if only the middle of the wall were to be lifted, it would not raise the lower beams.
Differences Between the Pesukim
Accordingly, we can explain the differences between the above mentioned Pesukim. The Posuk וְּהַר סִינַי עָשַן כֻּלּו “The entire Mount Sinai was engulfed in smoke” refers to the period of ‘Matan Torah’.
Since at ‘Matan Torah’ there was a Divine revelation from above to below as the Possuk continues: מִפְּנֵי אֲשֶׁר יָרַד עָלָיו הֲוָיָ' בָאֵש “Because Hashem had descended upon it in fire.” All of this highlights that the revelation was from above and at that time the world was still very coarse and not yet refined materialistically.
This Divine revelation then causes a ‘Bittul’ and annihilation of the coarseness of this world in a manner of וְּהַר סִינַי עָשַן כֻּלּו “The entire mountain was engulfed in smoke.” In other words, the vast amount of smoke indicates the extent of the coarse materialism of the world and how unrefined it was at that time.
It can be said that this is also the reason why it does not mention that the fire is a ‘consuming fire’ but alludes to the fact that this smoke is actually coming only from the fire itself and not from the substance that it is consuming (as mentioned earlier in the first Ois).
And this being due to the status of the world at the time of ‘Matan Torah’. It was so coarse that it was not even possible to be incinerated or consumed through fire, (analogous to actual inorganic material which is non-combustible). Therefore, this smoke does not come so much from the annihilation of the mountain, as it does from the fire itself.
After Matan Torah: The Consuming Fire
Whereas by contrast, the Possuk: וּמַרְּאֵה כְּבוד ה׳ כְּאֵש “The appearance of Hashem’s glory was like a consuming fire” refers to the period after ‘Matan Torah’, after the ‘Bittul’ and refinement that ‘Matan Torah’ had on the world. For then the status of the world was not as coarse as it was previously.
Therefore, the Possuk states that it was a ‘consuming’ fire, meaning that the world was now more refined and therefore spiritually more ‘combustible’ being able to be consumed and incinerated by the fire from heaven.
We can also take an inference from that which the Possuk states that it all happened at the top of the mountain, meaning that first the created beings need to ascend on their own, like dust which gradually builds up, gathers and works its way up the mountain until it gets to the very top.
Thereafter, there is a ‘Bittul’ and an elevation caused by the revelation of light from above which is as the Possuk states: “The appearance of Hashem’s glory was like a consuming fire”.
The Cloud and Its Significance
Furthermore, the fire did not cause real smoke and because of its delicate nature, the Torah does not call it smoke but refers to it as a cloud, about which it says: וַיָבֹא משֶׁה בְּתוךְ הֶׁעָנָן “Moshe came within the cloud” because a cloud does not have the same connotation for it does not allude to an expiration nor an elevation from below to above.
However, this cloud does bear some resemblance to smoke, as Rashi (who’s commentary is known as ‘the wine of Torah’) mentioned earlier. Due to this cloud not being a Divine revelation from above, as in previous references to a cloud, it is a cloud which comes from “The appearance of Hashem’s glory that it was like a consuming fire” and the Divinity thus initiates a ‘Bittul’ from the world’s existence.
Therefore, it is ‘like smoke’ in that it has within it some similarities to smoke which are the earthly particles and impurities which are the residue of the annihilation of the materialism.
The Objective of Torah: Making a Dwelling Place for Hashem
The objective of the Torah is to transform the world into a dwelling place for Hashem blessed be He in the lower realm. Therefore, this cloud in which Moshe had to enter in order to receive the Luchos and the Torah, and to bring them down, was ‘like smoke’ which is a revelation from above that effectuates an expiration and ‘Bittul’ of the materialism of the created beings.
But, being that it is after the revelation of ‘Matan Torah’ which effectuated the refinement and general ‘Bittul’ of the world’s materialism, therefore, it did not engulf in smoke like it did at the beginning of ‘Matan Torah’ but just ‘like’ smoke.
Man’s Avodah: Elevating Even the Lowest
This all relates to man’s Avodah, for there are those who complain and say: “What do I have to do with the lower realms? And even if there is a need to delve down into the lower realms, let it be sufficient to descend to the animal kingdom or at worst to the organic. But not to have to engage even with the lowest level of creation the inorganic, which is the most base, physical matter of all creation that shows no sign of life at all, to the extent that even when the Divine fire of Hashem is illuminating, the inorganic by nature is not a receptacle for that light, and the fire cannot catch on to it (without it first being splintered).
In answer [to this complaint] however, one [must know that one] needs to make smoke and cause an elevation even within the ‘inorganic’ which is lowest category of creation of this world, since this is the intention and purpose of ‘Matan Torah’ that the smoke which is a result of the annihilation and elevation of the world’s materialism, comes not only from the vegetative category but also from the inorganic.
However, they may still be room for complaint, because as the maxim from our Sages of blessed memory that states: “Someone who wrestles with a disreputable person himself becomes disreputable as well” so through this ‘Avodah’ of causing smoke from objects of the lower realm he will become soiled; and so perhaps it would be better [after all] that he does not get involved.
The Path of Moshe: Remaining Unsullied
The answer to this is that Hashem made a path for Moshe inside it. This means that the element of ‘Moshe which is a part of every Jewish soul’ does not [ever] become soiled, but remains clean, because it travels via the path which is constantly faithful to Hashem blessed be He.
Like the statement of the Alter Rebbe: “Every single Jew whoever he may be does not want, nor can he be separated from Hashem”. And as the Rambam rules that even someone for whom the Beis Din need to resort to forcing via the means of a non-Jew, in truth he [too] really wants to perform all the Mitzvos... yet his evil inclination is forcing him otherwise.
Furthermore from an inner dimension all this goes even further, because even one’s revealed aptitudes won’t get soiled from the smoke, considering that it is not really smoke at all.
